Purpose
by Mizuno-Suzuka
Summary: "You don't fool us, Mordremoth." She spoke clearly. "My only parent is the pale tree. And I shall see to it you are destroyed." She glanced at Iedreth, her smile grim. "And we will free the Sylvari from your slavery." - A story of a young mesmer, born into a world of shifting loyalties in the face of a Dragon who bears the name of "father".
1. Beginnings

Purpose

...

Iedreth remembered all of her dream.

It had begun with a bright light gently caressing her eyelids, coaxing her to open her eyes, peering about at the transluscent beings that walked about, ignorant of her presense among them. She had lifted her eyes in wonder to see a deep, blue sky, awed by he beautiful white puffs that adorned it. She felt a shimmering warmth deep in her veins, deep within her, and she closed her eyes, basking in the glorious feeling. She shifted slightly, and felt her hands tighten around something foreign, and her gaze dropped. She held two ethereal blades, the craftmanship impeccable, the design unfamiliar and yet, so beautiful. In wonder, she lifted the blade close to her eyes, admiring the sheen of light that seemed solid, the clean and sharp edges that made up the blade's facets.

Through her examination, her mind seemed focused on her surroundings just as much as her inspection of the blade. She felt an eerie unease settle in her stomach, and the area around her seemed to settle into a hushed whisper, all the ephemeral figures that had been walking around before, vanished, she felt suddenly alone, and all was quiet.

Iedreth felt a small ounce of dread as her eyes scanned around, observing her surroundings cautiously. Suddenly, a magical aura seemed to materialize, and she spun on her heel, her blades already at the throat of the newcomer. She peered into the face of the mysterious being and gasped, nearly lowering her guard.

It was a woman, a sylvari, like herself. Her pale lichen colored vines swirled in delicate waves from the crown of her head, flowing down gently to her right collarbone, the left side of her cranium free of vines, exposing her pale green scalp to the elements. Her eye's were obscured by a criss-cross mask adorned with a summer bloom, and her vestments were made of strong petals and foliage of pale beige and green, seeping with magic, and flowing about her body as if she were a garden of exotic flowers. Her pale green skin, nearly white in the bright light, was caressed with splotches of deep marine blue, like an ocean beneath her skin, only further emphasized by the timid glow of her veins, a river of calm blue. Cool, light, and pleasant to look at.

She had not flinched when the blade had made its way to her throat, instead merely smiling mysteriously, before disappearing altogether in a burst of irridescent violet butterflies. Surprised, Iedreth lowered her guard, nearly dropping her blades. She heard a voice, like dancing windchimes, chuckle lightly.

"So reflexive, is your blade." The woman commented, appearing again before Iedreth's view, though slightly out of range. "You are naturally talented with the blade." Iedreth straightened out, her curious eyes upon the woman, examining her curiously. The woman smiled, her beautiful face marred by white petal-like scars, that did not detract from her smooth features.

"I am Eileria." The mesmer introduced herself, deducing the confusion from the young sapling. "A night bloom, a child of the pale tree." She paused, her smile lilting. Iedreth sheathed her weapons.

"Eileria." Iedreth tried, using her voice. She had a rich, warm tone, slightly deeper, although somehow less commanding then the mesmer before her. "I am Iedreth." She replied simply, having nothing left to follow. The sylvari smiled.

"I know, Iedreth." She claimed gently. "The pale tree asked me to seek you out. In my dream. But, you have not been born yet. Much has changed since I've seen you in _my_ dream." The sylvari woman turned, her hand held out to point forward. Iedreth peered out to see treatcherous vines, curling with menace and thorns, curling around the pale tree's tendrils, the magic trying to worm it's way into the roots. Iedreth felt the dread settle further, and tensed, hands on the hilts of her blades. When Eileria turned back to her, the expression on her face caused Iedreth to pause. It was pain, agony.

"The dream is in danger, sapling." Eileria spoke, her strong voice nearly wavering. "Your dream is your own, I merely came here to guide you, at the request of our mother." She paused, seeming to hesitate on what else she had wanted to say. But she steeled her shoulders, and spoke with strength. "But I'll admit... I have an alternative reason for wanting to speak with you..." She glared at the tendrils as if they had personally offended her, and Iedreth tensed, believing that, they just might have.

"Why... I am so..." Iedreth searched for the words. "Young." Eileria smiled, placing a transparent hand on the young saplings shoulder.

"We are all called to different things, my sister." She said, her face kind. "But, as my mentor joined me in my dream, so too have I joined you here. For... We share a common destiny."

Suddenly Iedreth was alone. The tendrils seemed to slither upon the ground towards her, and as they drew closer, she could hear a whisper, a lilting, though dark and deep voice, speaking to her.

 _My child._ It whispered. _My dear, dear child. Why are you afraid of me?_

Iedreth watched in disbelief as the vines stopped hardly feet from her, twisting and climbing to create a vined figure, shaped like a male human, comprised of ever moving, ever changing and pusling thick vines, thorns sharp as daggers. Her eyes locked upon the pupiless eyes that drew her in, staring her down in a red gaze. She couldn't seem to tear her gaze away, though she felt the stirrings of panic deep within her. What was it? Terror? She wasn't sure, but she knew, something deep inside, that she was in danger. Something was going to hurt her.

 _My child, I would never hurt you._ Iedreth's slow steps backward stopped, and her heart hammered in her chest. This voice, so soothing and calm, was meant to lure her in, she could feel it. But it wasn't her mother. It wasn't the pale tree. An image, glowing golden skin and a glorious white glow, invaded her eyes, a soft, warm smile, and a voice like a tinkling river, a laugh like a babbling brook. A hand on her cheek softer than the petal of a rose. This was her mother. The pale tree. Not this being of darkness that tried to seduce her with its soothing speech.

"I am _not_ your child... whoever you are." Iedreth spoke with confidence. The red eyes of the vined being narrowed.

 _Oh, but you are._ It continued to whisper, dark tendrils of darkness winding their way around her mind, her limbs, her lips... _All my children will come to me. It is your destiny, why you were born._ The vined being ghosted right before her, its red eyes boring into her own widened orbs, its hand caressing the side of her cheek, the texture rough, and the temperature cold, unwelcome. Iedreth whimpered.

 _Be strong, sapling._ A strong voice, Eileria's voice, broke through the deadly haze that clouded her mind, just long enough for her to shake off the dark being, and disappear in a burst of purple butterflies, running quickly towards a twined vine bridge, her blades drawn and eyes trained forward.

Her eyes catalogued very specific images as she approached the bridge, despite her desperation to escape the darkness she felt creeping upon her. A glint of strange, mirror like gems, twisting and turning, and an almost reptilian eye, staring curiously at her as she bolted away. A burst of color, a vibrant cerulean paired with ice blue eyes, staring as she ran past.

The bridge was so close, she felt her heart hammering, knowing whatever the creature following her was, it wouldn't stop here. It would follow her across. But she also knew, somehow, that, even when it did, she wouldn't be alone. She could fight here, uninhibited, free from it's mental shadow. She _had_ to cross that bridge, and she had to do it before it was too late.

 _Running will not save you, child._ The patronization in the voice was staggering. It had resorted to colder methods now, realizing it's soothing words bore no breaking on her solid resolve. _I will always be there, in the deepest recesses of your mind, as your true creator. Your, father, if you will. You belong to me._

"Get _out_ of my head!" Iedreth screamed aloud, her hands over her ears. Her legs screamed at her as she pushed them harder, faster, forcing her magic to blink across the length of the bridge, before continuing into a sprint into the circular grove, the remnants of a collasal, dark, vined dragon, wasting away right in the center.

"He was slain, in my dream." Eileria commented, her ethereal appearance once again present, walking towards the muddled mess of plantlike foliage in the shape of a dragon. "Caithe and I, we fought its nightmare, its corruption, in hopes that it would no longer poison the dream. That dreamers would be safe, contained from the horrors of the nightmare. Her hands clenched on a withered branch, nearly snapping it in half, before her hand relaxed. "Alas, little did we know that the nightmare was larger than just a small group of our own trying to poison the dream. No... much larger, it was." She glanced upon the opening to the grove, the dark vines slithering into the doorway, blocking it from entry or exit. Eileria frowned.

"It seems no matter how much we fight, there is always something that takes the place of evil after a victory." Eileria seemed weary, and for a moment, Iedreth thought she saw the mesmer's features darken. However, when she blinked, she realized, she wasn't darkening, she was becoming opaque. Eileria seemed to come to the same conclusion, drawing a sharpened blade, irredescent and flowing like the wing of a butterfly, and a shield to match, and stancing herself beside the sapling. "We will take on this threat to the dream together, sapling." She smiled at the sylvari, her scars gleaming a bright white. "Show him that he does not own _you."_

Iedreth nodded, her feet planted firmly in the fresh dirt, her arms tensed as she watched the physical manifestation of the vines again take on a humanoid appearance, its red eyes glowing brightly at her rebellion.

 _My children._ Came its whisper. _Why do you fight your father? I only want my children to be at my side._ Iedreth seethed, but Eileria smiled, her freckled visage sparkling like the sun.

"You don't fool us, Mordremoth." She spoke clearly. "My only parent is the pale tree. And I shall see to it you are destroyed." She glanced at Iedreth, her smile grim. "And we will free the Sylvari from your slavery." The vined creature snarled at her tenacity, and struck at her, its movements so fast, Iedreth nearly missed it. However, it would seem Eileria was not impatient, nor inexperienced, and her image faded into a phantasm of purple light, two more of her images appearing perpendicular to one another, a third, stealthed figure, behind the creature, shielding her body cautiously. The creature snarled again, sending sharp, thorned vines to wrap around the phantasms, their images disappearing in a flash of light. Eileria blocked an incoming vine, cutting it with her blade, a satisfying sound, and blinked across the grove, more illusions charging at the vines with renewed vigor.

Not to be outdone, Iedreth let out a battle cry, her dual blades swinging and slicing at the living vines, shattering the defenses of the creature, causing it to roar in rage. Eileria jumped in front of the sapling, shield taking the brunt of the vine's snap, making Iedreth jump at the sound. Had it hit her...

She focused again, her blades swishing as she summoned her own illusion, it's power weak, but the more targets, the less likely the darkness would have to actually hit the pair of mesmers. Her blades were effective, slicing apart the thin vines, frustrating the red-eyed creature, and suddenly, a beastial cry was let forth, and the mass of the creature tripled, thorns encasing it's hide, a deep, thick, armor like encasing.

A vine, slick and dark, shot forward, aimed straight for Iedreth. She lifted her blade to parry, but the vine swatted the blade from her hand as if she were holding a stick, and her hand stung with the effort to hold on, feeling a slight crack as the blade slid away and beneath the feet of the mass. Shocked, Iedreth looked up to see the vine rearing back, preparing itself to strike, before again rocketing towards her at an incredible pace. She hardly had time to blink.

 _"Iedreth!"_ Iedreth opened her eyes, widening them at the sight before her. Eileria had jumped in front of her again, her shield lay at her feet, which were several inches off the ground, her sword had been flung away, lain unattended at the edge of the grove. Eileria's hands were grasping at the coiled vines around her waist, trying to push herself out of the monster's grip. A light blue trail of liquid, not unlike a river, flowed from the mesmer's arm where a thorn had jammed itself into her skin. Iedreth felt something click in her, in that moment, and she knew that this was a reminder. She could not falter. Lives would be at stake. The creature was distracted by it's prey. She had to stop it before it hurt her.

 _Your resistance is hardly admirable, Eileria._ The creature whispered to the mesmer intimately. _I've already shown you the future that awaits you. Why fight it? I will just kill more of them. You cannot save them all._ Eileria paushed in her struggle, and smiled, angelic, lighting up her face. The vines paused, the red eyes narrowing in confusion.

"I do not need to." She replied simply, voice unwavering. The creature sneered and tightened its grip on her abdomen, forcing out a deep, pained gasp.

 _You are wasting your true potential as this, "commander". The voice echoed, it's soothing tones trying to penetrate her mind. Wasteful with all that you could become..._

Eileria could see herself, armored to the teeth and radiant, slaying humans, charr, asura, and norn, convincing her fellow Sylvari to join their father's side... She could see the gifts that would be showered upon her, the honor.

The betrayel.

"I am not _yours._ Mordremoth." She leered, blue sap peeling from her lips. "And I never will be. NOW IEDRETH!" The dragon's avatar sneered, turning to leer at the young mesmer, who had her blades crossed at the back of the neck of the avatar.

"No more of your corruption, creature." Iedreth announced, slicing off the head of the creature, and pushing her blade through its skull.

The vines wrapped around Eileria dropped, allowing the mesmer to lithely tumble to her feet, grasping her sword and shield, placing them back into their stowed positions.

"It's my time to leave you now, Sapling." Iedreth subconsiously shook her head, grasping at the petal soft armor of her fellow mesmer. Eileria smiled, patting Iedreth's cheek gently.

"Do not worry sapling, you shall see me again soon." Her smile was radiant, and Iedreth could not help but beam back, her mind feeling clear and free. Eileria smiled, her body slowly fading out of view until nothing remained, and the young sapling turned to the entrance of the bridge, walking toward it slowly, when she felt something, not pain, more... discomfort, settle in the pit of her stomach. She looked down to see if she had been struck, but nothing protruded from her body, and her wounds were superficial. The discomfort grew into a lull, and suddenly, she felt so tired, so weary, that she fell to her knees, her hands grasping at the soft earth as she breathed shallowly, trying not to lose conciousness. Her vision blurred, and the light faded, an all encumbering darkness consuming her body and mind.

When her eyes opened again, it was to the basking sun, high in the very center of the sky.

...

I'm not really sure where I'm going with this. Probably somewhere terrible Idk.

Anywho, introducing my first GW fic, yay! Main characters in this chapter are Iedreth, (prounounced Ee-Ah-Dreh-th) a sylvari mesmer, and Eileria (Pronounced Aye-Leer-eea) also a sylvari mesmer. Eileria fought the elder dragon Zhaitan (And probably died a couple times... or more... shh.) and slayed him with the help of Destiny's Edge and the pact, and has many more adventure's pending for her. Iedreth is a rather new sapling, born after the fall of Zhaitan, but just in time for Mordremoth to make his grand appearance. Enjoy!


	2. Awakening

Purpose, Chapter 2: Awakening

...

It was so bright.

Iedreth squinted her sensitive eyes against the bright light, filtered serenely through a green canopy so lush she nearly reached to touch it, despite it being far out of her reach. This was not the bridge she had lost conciousness at. She was not in the grove where the monster had been slain. She was not clothed, with weapons at her side. No. She was naked, though, not in the human sense, the leaf like coverings allowed her some form of modesty, though, she couldn't say that she felt embarassed from the lack of coverings that she had donned in her dream. She had a feeling she would don them again soon enough, and to her, that was enough reason not to fret. The lack of her swords _did_ however make her uneasy, feeling unprotected, too tense. She tried to relax, allowing her eyes to fully adjust to the sun, the beauty of the day.

"Sapling, are you well?" A soft, kind voice came forth. Iedreth's attention snapped to her left, eyes focusing on a dark, rich colored Sylvari, staring at her with interest. Her green eyes were gentle, but her face and armor suggested that she were an experienced warrior, one that had seen much, and would still have more to see. Iedreth felt that she should know who this person was, but she could not put a finger on the name.

"I am well." Iedreth replied quickly, not wanting to keep the Sylvari waiting. "Just..."

"Disoriented?" The woman finished, smiling at the newborn. "It is alright, this is common for a newborn such as yourself." Iedreth frowned, scratching at the vines that simulated hair upon her head.

"I'm... a newborn." She had meant it as a question, but it came out as a statement, her tone droll. "But I swear I just... I didn't think it would be so soon." Iedreth sighed, straightening out. She streatched her limbs and was surprised to feel no soreness, no wounds, nothing, no indication that she had been in a great battle before awakening. Had she imagined it all? It was a dream of course...

"I'm sure you have some questions." The Sylvari continued. "But, being a noon bloom, yourself, I'm sure you will want to hop right to it." Iedreth cocked her head, her brow furrowing in confusion.

"To what?" Iedreth asked. The dark woman laughed, placing a hand on Iedreth's shoulder.

"To explore, adventure. Be out there in the world. Tyria is such a large place. There is so much to see. Especially now, since one of the Elder dragons, Zhaitan, has been destroyed." Her face puckered for a split second, as if she had thought of something displeasing, but she quickly controlled her expression and smiled at the sapling.

"Please, follow me, I will bring you to a mender. They will be able to answer your questions, and then, perhaps, you will be ready to explore our grove." Iedreth nodded, allowing the dark sylvari to steer her towards a large open pod, where a few other newly born sylvari already sat, soaking in information from what Iedreth could only assume was a mender. His features were dark green, with plenty of reddish hues, reminiscent of the change from summer to autumn, and his eyes were a warm honey.

"Oh, Firstborn Niamh, another?" His voice betrayed his shock, and Iedreth nearly laughed at his startled expression. Fluidly, without questioning it, Iedreth took a seat on the lush leaves woven in the pod next to another noon bloom, who smiled at the newest Sylvari addition happily.

"Fresh out of the pod, that one." Niamh replied, waving at the mender. "I'll be back soon, noon is almost at it's climax, and dusk will be taking over." The mender nodded, turning back to the newborns, his eyes gentle.

"I'm sure your have questions." He said, scratching his head. "So, ask away!"

...

Eileria rested in her hammock, gently rocking herself with her toes against the bark inlaid walls of her home, her thoughts in a million places at once. The trip into the dream, though incredibly draining, had also been beneficial to her, not only to meet a new sapling before her birth, but also to survey the extent of Mordremoth's influence. The pale tree was concerned, and she had every right to be. Sylvari were disappearing right and left, others were coming out of their pods, screaming, wretching, speaking blasphemy and attacking their brethren, all within minutes of being born. Eileria had even watched as one citizen close to Maguuma's gates, one moment so kind and friendly, the next drawing his sword to slay his fellow guardsmen. To have to watch them turn, and watch others turn on them... It saddened her deeply.

Her mother had asked her to go into the dream. She was not specific about what she needed to report, only that she be careful, and to rest promptly after leaving the dream. Eileria had not at the time realized how draining it would be, and, once she had been released back into her body, she immediately felt the exaustion take her. Her body had needed several hours to recoup, and now she lay there, thinking about what she had found.

The manifestation of Mordremoth terrified her. The dragon was now resorting to tainting saplings before birth, trying to build his army. She felt a chill go through her spine at the thought, and turned her thoughts instead to the corruption inside the dream. So strong it was, that it literally whispered sweet-nothings in her ear as she passed them, trying to turn her, trying to seduce her away from her mother. If she hadn't already been through so much...

And Iedreth. The young sapling already had the strength of mind needed to fight the elder dragon. But even if she were to be born today... It would be too much to ask for her assistance against the elder dragon. She sighed, rubbing her eyes against the coming headache. Trahearne required her to report in the Silverwastes within the week, and already she was dreading each moment of it. Though it had been a few years since the defeat of Zhaitan, Eileria couldn't help but feel out of control of everything, and was terrified for the future. It only seemed like they had made progress, but defeating one dragon had only reminded Tyria that there were several more, just waiting to strike, to destroy. She couldn't allow it. But she still felt as if she would never be enough to stop the dragons from consuming her very home.

She sighed, rolling to her side and trying to bury her thoughts before she went to see the Pale Tree. She didn't want her mother to worry, but she didn't have good news to deliver, and she felt that the longer she put off telling her, the worse the consequences would be.

"Don't feel too bad, I was laid out for a full day after I left the dream after helping you, Commander." Eileria peered over her shoulder, nodding her greeting to Caithe, the night bloom thief taking a seat on a squat mushroom only feet from her hammock.

"It's not unlike Asuran gate travel." Eileria admitted, trying to see past the slight dizzyness. "Just... lasts longer." Caithe chuckled, but then her expression darkened.

"You're not wrong." She allowed, her features glowing a bright white. "Was it... Was it bad?"

"Worse than I had anticipated." Eileria admitted, sitting up in the hammock as slowly as she could. "The corruption spoke to me. And to the sapling I shadowed." Caithe looked troubled, shaking her head, and by extension, the leaves of her hair.

"I was afraid of that." She admitted. "There is much to fear now, this new dragon." Eileria nodded, peeling the mask away from her face. Her eyes, green with streaks of amethyst, analyzed Caithe carefully.

"I wouldn't try going to Maguuma yourself." Eileria suggested, knowing what the thief was likely thinking. "It's dangerous enough without the threat of Mordremoth and his minions." Caithe nodded, but Eileria had a feeling she was not necessarily agreeing with her. She sighed, rising from her bed.

"I'm going to see mother." She said, placing her swords down and brushing off her armor carefully. "Would you like to join me?"

...

"Ventari's tablet is the very fabric of our being." The mender finished, looking at each sapling in turn, as they, fascinated, listened to him with great interest. "It is like a moral compass, a reminder that kindness is the best way." He paused, allowing the saplings time to interject if they so chose. Iedreth raised a hand.

"Yes, Iedreth?"

"I saw things in my dream, odd things. I want to make sense of them." She hesitated, unsure of how to start. The other sapling's heads snapped to face her, suddenly very curious about her. She could feel a strange bout of embarrassment, but she tried to ignore it, not wanting to forgo the answers to the questions that burned her so deeply. The mender turned his kind eyes towards her, and her bravery seemed to bloom.

"I saw three sets of eyes in my dream, each paired with something different." She began, remembering each so clearly. "The first, a pair of violent, red eyes. encircling vines, darkness. It was a being of madness. I felt fear." She hesitated, the imagery of the vines holding Eileria up and squeezing her...

"The second set of eyes were strange. A different creature. Not like us. I cannot describe it exactly, but they were _young_ , and they seemed to be shrouded by mirror like crystals. Reflective. Like camoflage against the soul. I felt... connected, to this set of eyes. like I was drawn to them, but at the time, I could not follow." She took another breath, the silence in their pod louder than her ears could bear, so she continued on.

"The third set of eyes was not dissimilar to our own. They were a beautiful ice blue." She felt a heat rise in her cheeks, how strange. "They seemed to hold my attention, despite the situation I was in. I nearly turned to give them a better look." _But the danger had been to great to stop._ She thought to herself. "The face to whom they belonged was shrouded in shadow, and yet, I could see a deep cerulean batch of leaves adorning their head. Whoever they were, they were watching _me_." She reflected for a moment, noting the difference between the red eyes and the blue. "Although, they were not malicious, as the red. Instead, they were kind, but... shy." The mender looked puzzled, as if he was not sure how to proceed answering.

"I think I can help you to make sense of your dream, sapling." A familiar voice came. Five sets of eyes locked onto Niamh, the noon luminary, who had returned from her post. Iedreth looked on, surprised, but waited for the answers she so desperately sought.

"I'd like to take Iedreth on a walk, there is much to speak about." Iedreth sat back in surprise, confused as to why a firstborn, as she had learned from the mender, would want to walk with _her_ specifically. Had something in her dream worried the luminary? Was she going to be dangerous? Were they going to make her _leave_ the grove?

She stood, trying not to waver, and walked to the side of the dark-skinned sylvari, following her out of the warm pod into the light evening air of the grove.

"I was wondering what you had seen in your dream." Niamh said, her eyes watching the surrounding Sylvari as they traipsed around the grove, oblivious to their conversation. "It seemed to me when you awoke that you had been through a great ordeal. Something adventurous lies in wait for you. Three sets of eyes, each different from another." She paused, but continued to walk, throwing Iedreth off slightly.

"The first set is troubling indeed." She remarked, her face puckering slightly, as it had when she had mentioned the great dragon Zhaitan, just before changing the subject. "It is reminiscent of an elder dragon that has recently been... _active_." She emphasized, her hands grasping her mace and shield almost reflexively. "And, I won't lie to you, sapling, it is worrisome." Iedreth raised her hands, in mock surrender.

"I promise, I did not fall the the creature's mind games." Iedreth proclaimed, her eyes warily trailed on the barbed mace of the warrior. "But I will admit, the whispers were... difficult, to ignore. Had Eileria not been there-"

"Eileria?" Niamh interrupted, hunter green eyes wide in surprise. Iedreth nodded, cutting herself off at the mention of the pale green sylvari. The luminary's posture slowly relaxed, and she shook her head, a small, exasperated smile upon her face.

"You saw Eileria in your dream too, sapling?" Niamh asked. Iedreth nodded.

"She was but a figment for a while, but she became... tangible. She helped me break free of the... dragon. She fought alongside me, and I her. She said that I would see her again soon." The sapling turned her head, as if looking to see if she could spot the pale sylvari, but, despite the range in colors of sylvari, and the variety of faces, she could not spot, at least from her vantage point, the familiar shrouded face of the mesmer. "I did not realize that she meant that I would soon be awakening." Niamh stared carefully at the newborn, her eyes scrutinizing the young sapling.

"You have been given a difficult wyld hunt, it would seem." She finally said, her eyes unreadable as she looked at the young one. And to have seen the commander in your dream... slayer of Zhaitan herself!" Iedreth recoiled in shock.

"What?" She exclained, her eyes wide. "She, she took on an elder dragon?"

"With the assistance of Destiny's edge, and several pact members, but yes." Niamh answered, voice awed. "Yet, from what I understand, she played a large roll in the defeat of the dragon. Though she's loathe to admit it, her skills are... exceptional. Without her there... who's to say. They may have never suceeded in the first place." Iedreth could hardly wrap her head around this piece of information. Why would such a presitigious Sylvari come to visit in _her_ dream? What could she possibly have to offer her? She was just a sapling. She hardly knew what it meant to be a sylvari, to use magic as a mesmer. She would be no use against another elder dragon, especially one who slipped his very _mind_ into their own. She could see herself being a hindrance more than a help.

But, then, deep inside her, she felt a sense of something. Something greater than herself, willing to grow, to become greater. Suddenly, she could see herself, standing beside the commander, fighting alongside her, against the dragon's deep malevolent red eyes. She steeled her nerves, taking a calming breath, and turned to the luminary.

"I would like to begin to train, as soon as possible." The sapling announced, earning a chuckle from the warrior.

"I thought you might say that." Niamh admitted, smiling jovially. "After all, you _are_ a noon bloom."

...

Two chapters down, hopefully many to go! This is pretty exciting for me, I wanted to be able to approach the sylvari starting experience from a different angle. A younger angle. One for a sylvari born after the fall of Zhaitan, but one who could still have some relevance in the bigger picture of Tyria's dangers. I hope you are enjoying the story so far, stay tuned for more!


	3. Familiarity

Purpose, Chapter 3: Familiarity.

...

"Please feel free to come again, if ever you need new armor, dear sapling." The friendly warden waved as Iedreth walked away, waving back, admiring her new human-crafted silk garments. Though they felt slightly unnatural over her skin, they were not unpleasant, instead soft and slipped gently over her, allowing her freedom of movement and a feeling of magical protection that she had not felt before. Her next stop was to see the weapons-smith, whom was said to have been in Astorea, slightly past the moa gardens. She walked about, her eyes observing everything with a fresh, new perspective. The beautiful clear sky without a cloud to dot it, the fresh smells and the _colors._

Iedreth came upon the weaponsmith in due time, observing each blade, focus, and staff in turn. Nothing seemed to really pop out, and despite herself, her thoughts turned to the two ethereal blades she had held in the dream. Blades she would not be able to find at a humble merchant for a few copper coins. Instead, she settled on the familiar, and purchased to heavy, but well balanced swords, with attachable sheaths, and went on her way to continue exploring Celadon forest.

Much of Celadon forrest looked healthy, green, lush. She felt refreshed and whole while she walked around. She passed a small section of the forrest where warden's patrolled, on the lookout for threats to the civilians, when she spotted a strange dark cerulean hue, walking swiftly _away_ from her. Puzzled, she wracked her brain for a reason why the color had even caught her attention to begin with, before an image of ice cold blue eyes staring into her own made her gasp in surprise.

Not even bothering to answer the warden's question of whether or not she was alright, she began to sprint, her legs feeling spritely and well rested, drove her to catch up to the cerulean haired sylvari. She had to meet them, whoever they were, and introduce herself. Her breath caught as she spun around, looking for any sign of the azure haired sylvari, only to see nothing but lush forrest and a small babbling brook. She walked to the water, peering around, with no sign of anyone but herself present. She sighed, wondering if she had merely imagined the person, and looked into the water at her reflection, tilting her head.

She had not seen herself yet, but the image in front of her looked almost too familiar, as if she had seen it before. She gasped, realizing she bore a striking resemblance to Eileria, the mesmer from her dream. Her soft face was round, but well shaped and her lips were full, a slight grey-lavendar, against her pure white skin, unlike her counterparts pale green. Her vines too were white, pure and twisting, they gleamed and almost seemed to sparkle in the water. She touched them self-conciously, and felt the texture against her fingertips. Her eyes were a strange pink tone, and they glittered with wonder as she observed her reflection. Her bark was splattered with dark pink splotches, coloring her arms and collarbones, and she was sure, more of her as well. She took note that she had strange light markings across her face as well, though no scars shaped like petals, as Eileria had. She wondered, looking at the pink hue of her eyes, what color the mesmer's eyes were.

She lifted her gaze from the brook, ready to resume her exploration, when she met a pair of curious blue eyes, staring at her from across the water.

...

Eileria opened her eyes to see the swirling snow of Hoelbrak and sweet smells of warm bread wafting towards her. Smiling, she quickly stepped off the waypoint teleporter, walking briskly towards the hunters lodge, where she could find Bryna, a red-headed fiery Norn Guardian, and her lover. Her eyes swept the hall for her love, to find her busily shifting through maps on a table, where she was showing a fellow Norn routes across Tyria, when she caught the sight of her Lichen colored lover walking towards her.

"Eileria." She breathed, stepping away from the map, sending a dismissing wave to the man, before scooping up the Sylvari into her strong arms and embracing her. "It has been quite some time, you've been busy, I take it?" Eileria smiled sheepishly, knowing Bryna had not problem teasing the Sylvari.

"Busy is an understatement." She groaned, kissing the woman on her cheek, then her nose. "But regardless, I have missed you very much." The Norn's smile was grand, and Eileria felt a swelling feeling in her chest as she beamed back at her.

"Seems like you too, have been busy." She remarked, gesturing towards the tables and the maps. Bryna nodded, though a frown made it's way onto her face.

"I have been working with the priory to find some alternate routes through Maguuma's wastelands." She said, the frustration evident on her face. " The jungle has been hard to get into with all the resistance on the plateau. We're losing too many people in the Pact to continue sending people to the silverwastes, in an attempt to gain ground that we're just not gaining." Eileria looked at the maps and the routes, thinking hard about anything she might know.

"I could try to talk to Trahearne." She said, looking up at her lover. "He may have a solution to the problem, he is quite busy, but I'm sure he'll make time for me if I ask." Bryna laughed heartily.

"I don't think he will ever _not_ make time for you, _commander._ " Bryna teased, her face impish. Eileria playfully slapped the norn's arm.

"Ow!"

"That didn't hurt and you know it."

"I don't know, I think I'm starting to bruise! Oh wait..." Bryna plucked a lavender rose from somewhere on her armor, to Eileria's total disbelief. "It's just a flower. Here, suits your lovely eyes." Eileria took the gift and simpered at the Norn, her smile broad.

"Some time alone then?" She asked, searching the Norn's face. Bryna smiled, her eyes lidding heavily, and scooped her up once again to the privacy of her room.

...

"Hello." Iedreth said shyly, tucking the vines behind her ear. "May I ask... who might you be?" The sylvari man's eyes seemed to glow, but he did not answer her question, instead tilting his head to look at her better. Iedreth looked the man over, wondering at his appearance. His skin seemed to appear like an inverse flower over his face, a red glow emanating from the veins and lines against pale grey bark. His cerulean fronds were pulled back into a single shoot, like a humans pony-tail, secured by a simple leather thong. His armor, black or dark brown, was all leather, and seemed to be of a very good quality. She sensed that this man could meld easily into the shadows, should he want to, and the daggers at his hip confirmed her theory that he was likely a thief. She tilted her head to match his gaze, and was gifted with a crooked smirk.

"You're a funny one, sapling." The thief spoke, and Iedreth marveled at the smoothness of his voice. It was soothing, soft, quiet. Just like a shadow. "I don't think I've ever met an albino Sylvari before. Tell me, did you allow the sun to bleach your bark?" Iedreth shook her head, leaning out of her crouch and standing, her hands limp at her sides.

"I was born this way, from my pod." She answered, brow furrowing. "I'm not sure an 'albino' exists for our kind." The thief mirrored her, also standing, and she realized they were the exact same height, small, and lithe. Nothing like Eileria, whos height rivaled a small Norn.

"Perhaps not." He agreed, brushing a stray palm from his face, revealing dark edges in his face where he had clearly been sliced, long since healed. "I am Kairith. Night Bloom and valiant of the wyld hunt. It is a pleasure to meet you." To her chagrin, and pleasure, he reached forward to take her hand, laying his lips gently on the back of her hand. She felt a gentle shock, not unlike electricity, rocket through her body, and she shivered, though not unpleasantly. She beamed at the thief, her pink eyes scanning his own.

"I am Iedreth, of noon." She bowed slightly, and her white vines slipped from behind her ear, caressing her face. "I am... travelling. Exploring, if you will. I saw your hair and I..." She stopped, suddenly embarassed. He chuckled, brushing more fronds away from his face carelessly.

"It is an oddly luminescent color." He admitted, though looking at them fondly. "For someone who likes to dabble in shadow, it isn't the best camoflage.

"If you're looking for camoflage, your hair could be covered." She joked, "It's your eyes that would give you away. They are truly magnificent." The sylvari's face seemed to darken in his cheeks, his glow even brighter.

"Ah, why, thank you, I suppose." He said, his voice low. "May I ask, you were so intruiged by the water. Is part of your traveling to memorize the brooks?" Iedreth bit her lip, now truly feeling embarassed. In chagrin, she answered.

"I had never seen my reflection before." The thief tilted his head, his eyes narrowing.

"When were you born, Iedreth?" He asked, his face bearing an odd expression. Iedreth coughed.

"Erm... I'm not even a day old." She admitted, her cheeks feeling heated. The thief looked surprised.

"Not even a day old, and you're already headed into the swamps, eh?" He jested, hovering closely to her. "And without anyone to guide you? You are most certainly of noon! So bold." He looked at her curiously.

"And you are a night bloom," She said slowly. "Why are you so interested in me?" The thief seemed taken aback, but smiled nevertheless.

"Our cycle is usually indicative of our preferences, this much I remember, from when I learned from my luminary, Malomedies." He tucked his hand against his chin, his eyes still trained on her. "However, if it's one thing I also remember, it's that he mentioned, no one _wants_ to be lonely. Though we can be solitude driven, our drives for companionship, well." He smiled at her.

"Sometimes there are greater drives than what we seem to be predestined to belong to." Iedreth smiled at him, and he back at her.

"If you say so." She replied, feeling slightly breathless. The thief took her hand, kissing it again.

"Besides, you are quite lovely. I couldn't resist saying hello."

...

Another chapter! It's the weekend, so I have plenty of time to dabble in fanfiction to my hearts content. Unluckily for me, that means I have many stories I could be catching up on, so I will probably be doing that. lol. Kairith is my husbands Sylvari thief. Bryna is his Norn Guardian. I hope the constant descriptions are not boring, I'm trying to get them out of the way in the beginning, so that later chapters can be devoted entirely to the plot of the story, and less fluff. (or more fluff, depending on the type you're looking for.) Enjoy! Feel free to review, and to follow! Until next time!


	4. Darkness

Purpose, Chapter 4: Darkness.

...

Eileria sat up in bed, awakened from a terrible nightmare, her breath fast and her eyes wide, staring about the darkened room, only a dim echo of the moon shining through the glass window, snow blocking the light from illuminating the area. She placed a hand on her head, her eyes seeming to be burned with an image of blood red, luminescent eyes, staring at her, trying to seduce her from her bed, to bring her to Maguuma. A soft hand caressed her bare back, and she turned her torso slightly to see Bryna, eyes half-lidded with sleep, staring up at her.

"Couldn't sleep again?" She asked, her blue eyes almost glowing, despite the lack of reflective light. Eileria caressed the Norn's face gently, reveling in the smooth planes of her face, and brushed aside a messy lock of red hair.

"His voice is getting stronger." She said softly, realizing her arms were trembling. It had almost been shouting at her, the mental voice strident, trying so hard to convince her of its honesty. Bryna settled herself onto her right arm, lifting her left hand to settle on her face.

"You are stronger than he is, 'Leria." Bryna said, her strong voice slightly slurred with sleep. "He will never control you. You are strong." Eileria sighed, settling her face deeper into her lover's hand.

"These whisper's are so difficult to ignore." She admitted, the shaking still had not abated. "He's trying so hard to break down my barriers. I'm scared, Bryna." Bryna's brow furrowed, and a small frown was upon her face. She pulled Eileria down into an embrace, holding her tightly to her chest.

"I won't let you fall to the dragon, Eileria." She whispered softly into her ear. "You know this. Have some faith in us, in yourself." Eileria nodded, burying her face into the shoulder of the norn.

"Thank you, my love." She whispered, closing her eyes, still seeing the shadow of red eyes on the back of her lids, ever watching her.

...

Iedreth sipped the cool water offered to her from one of the soundless amidst the village just north of Sandycove beach, where she'd helped the local farmers rid the land of some pests, before travelling across the water, coming across the strange Sylvari. Here, they did not commune with the Pale tree, they lived seperately from her, essentially ignoring her influence, her voice. In a way, they were better off. They did not have the burden of the dream to fill their waking moments. But as one of the females had told her, it also could feel very lonely, and it was strenuous to maintain. She even admitted that though cut off they were, the connection was still there, and thus, on occasion, one could hear and commune with their dear mother.

Unlike the Nightmare Court, which she had privvy yet to encounter, the soundless did not dislike the grove, or want to necessarily reject Ventari's tablet and its teachings. Rather, they just wanted to live freely, answering to no one, but causing no trouble either.

Except, they were not immune to the call of the dragon, the one called Mordremoth.

Iedreth felt something coming before it actually happened. The sense of dread was nearly like a heavy weight upon her chest, and she looked up to find her comrade, her new travel partner, Kairith, to see that he too had gone rigid, his eyes the only part of him moving, as they scanned the surroundings for and type of threat. He pulled out his daggers, raising them to block his face and chest, turning slowly as he watched each of the soundless, who had suddenly gone quiet, and stood, staring into space, as if something were occupying their bodies.

"Iedreth!" Came Kairith's voice, sharp and sudden against the grain of her mind. "RUN!" Iedreth scrambled to her feet before being slammed to the ground by the female sylvari she had just been conversing with, the water spilt all over her chest, frigid and sending her yelping as she hit the ground. She pushed against the woman's shoulders, peering into her face to see her once lavender eyes, now glowing an eerie red.

 _Do not fight it, child._ Came the dragon's whisper, it's voice excited, _Join me, your brothers and sisters. Join your family in Maguuma. Rid this land of the exposition of carelessness. Those who use our limbs for fuel. Our boughs as shelter._ Iedreth was dazed by the implications, wounding around her brain, confusing her. Why... Why was she fighting? Shouldn't she be... She stopped pushing against the female sylvari, who looked shocked that she had stopped.

 _Yes,_ The voice hissed, its soothing melody like poison seeping through her veins. _You see how they treat you, treat us. They have used you and your siblings to fuel their wars. To fight their battles. As research._ Images flooded her head from the dream, Sylvari screaming as small, large eared creatures, donning red and black leathers, cut them open and tested their skin, no remorse, and no mercy. Disposing of them once they were dead, their colorful sap spilling slowly down a stainless steel table. An image of forests being cut, the trees stripped, to create homes, burned in fires. Hacked down and used, over and over, until there was little left. Her brothers and sisters, betrayed, killed, slaughtered, by humans and their kin. Why should she have any mercy for them? Or for those who stood with them.

" _Iedreth!"_ The voice was so quiet against her subconscious, trying to pull on her, trying to tell her something. But the dragon's voice was like a gentle lullaby.

 _Come child, struggle no more._ Tendrils, thorned and brisk, seemed to constrict her heart, and her head, making it difficult to breath. _You will be a champion for your father. Make them suffer for what they have done._

 _"You are stronger than he is, sapling."_ A new, clear voice, echoed in her head, a bright light seeming to burn away the shadowy vines that threatened to suffocate her. " _Remember, I will_ always _protect you, my dearheart."_ Iedreth's eyes snapped open, and the dragon's influence disappeared, allowing her to shove the soundless off of her, and draw her swords, conjuring an illusion to divert the attention of the dragon's control.

"No, Mordremoth." She spat, her eyes narrowing at the red eyes that stared back at her. "I'm not your champion." She appeared behind the soundless, knocking the hilt of her sword into the girls head, rendering her unconscious. Kairith seemed to have been busy, having knocked out the rest of the group in whatever time it had taken for her to fight off the Dragon's voice. She jogged to his side, scanning him for any wounds, though he seemed to be alright.

"Iedreth, are you alright?" He asked, his eyes wide as he looked at her, searching her eyes for the dragon's influence. He visibly relaxed when he saw her eyes held no trace of the dragon's corruption.

"I'm alright. But they aren't." She said sadly, staring at the unconscious beings before her. "Aren't we quite a ways from the jungle? How is he reaching us this far?" Kairith hesitated, but did not answer her. He scanned the bodies, looking for some sign that there had been a trigger. But there was nothing. Just soundless, and them. The day was bright. There were no vines slithering around. Kairith had been seing signs of the Dragon's influence around certain areas, but nothing here suggested that there was any danger, or anything that they should be afraid of. It chilled him to the bone to know that, at any moment, he or an ally...

He glanced at the white sylvari accompanying him. Her eyes were drawn to the female soundless that had attacked her, and he wondered what she was thinking. For a moment, when she had been tackled, she had stopped struggling, and the look on her face... Her eyes had flashed what he _thought_ was red, before moments later shoving the girl off of herself and then attacking in a whirlwind of violet clones. Had he not been trying not to get stabbed by one of the other sylvari, he would have been watching her, the elegance and grace of a mesmer never ceased to amaze him. Where his specialty was in subtlety, in shadow, a mesmer's was in distraction, illusions. It was all about being flashy. He smiled, before remembering why his thoughts had trailed that way in the first place.

"We can't just leave them here." Iedreth said suddenly, a strange expression on her face. "If they wake up and they still succumb to the dragon..." She trailed off, but Kairith didn't need her to finish her statement to know what would follow.

"We can grab a warden." He offered, knowing it was unlikely they would help. "But honestly, even if they wake up, free of the dragon's influence, I don't see..."

"I agree." She said, the unhappiness evident on her face. "There's no safe way to approach this, is there? We leave them, and we risk them waking up and skipping to Maguuma, or worse, attacking others of us on the way. Kill them and... We're no better than the dragon." Kairith gritted his teeth. Damn this creature. Ruining lives, breaking apart the good nature of the kind. His fists clenched.

"I say we tie them up and call a warden, allow them to make the call." Iedreth suggested, looking around for something sturdy to tie with. "It does us no good to try to make the decision. I don't want to hurt them anymore." Kairith nodded, assisting her in looking for some rope. Luckily, since the sylvari fished, there was plenty of net made of sturdy cord, that they were able to tie them up to poles around the village. Just a ways past the small island, they found a warden, who made a promise to send a body to go check on the soundless, despite their reservations, when the two adventurers explained to him _why_ they needed to be checked on.

In silence Iedreth and Kairith continued on north, towards Wychmire swamp, where Kairith told Iedreth there was plenty of courtier activity to put a stop to, and the sylvari there always needed assistance. Since she was so eager to help, he offered to escort her there, and help her out along the way. She hadn't protested, and he was glad. He quite enjoyed the saplings company, despite the feeling there was something... off. Not neccessarily with her, more, with her aura. She carried a great weight, and though she hadn't told him of her dream, or her wyld hunt, he knew, whatever it was, it was a heavy burden to bear.

...

"Are you sure you don't want me to come with you?" Eileria turned to face Bryna, who's eyes betrayed her worry, her heavy armor coated with a fresh layer of snow. Eileria smiled, planting a chaste kiss against the Norn's cheek.

"I will meet you in the Silverwastes, there is some buisness in Caledon Forest that I must attend to first." She embraced Bryna, before stepping on the waypoint pad, pulling out the appropriate fare.

"I'll see you again before you know it." She said. "Take care of yourself in the meantime, darling." Bryna smirked, and waved her hand.

"Alright, same to you, Leria." And in a flash of light, the mesmer disappeared from Hoelbrak.

She appeared outside the entrance to the grove, the entrance darker than usual, the leaves seeming to be shadowed darker than usual. Eileria felt uneasy, but passed through the gate regardless, and greeted the guard on the way through. Immediately upon stepping inside, she knew something had happened. Many sylvari were clustered in groups, whispering to one another, and she spotted her luminary, Malomedies, looking extremely serious, speaking with Caithe, looking equally grim. When they spotted her, they waved her over, insisting she join them.

"Greetings, Malomedies, Caithe." Eileria greeted formally. "Mind giving me an update on what's going on?" Caithe shot a meaningful look at the night luminary, who scratched at the branches on his head, unsure of how to start.

"We received word not too long ago from a Warden at Mabon Market that the soundless village in the river was overcome by whispers of the dragon." He said, his face weary with worry. "They said two travelers passing through had tied them up to the posts, expecting them to wake up and still be under the dragon's control. They left it to the warden's to make a decision."

"I suspect that isn't all." Eileria replied grimly, her heart nearly dropping in her chest. The soundless, though not attached to the mother directly, were still sylvari. Still brothers and sisters. It would still hurt if they turned to the dragon. It would still hurt the pale tree. No matter how hard they tried, they could never truly free themselves from her. And she, by extension, them. Caithe's expression confirmed her suspicions.

"We transported the soundless that had been corrupted to the Warden's jail." Malomedies continued. "But they were aggressive to the point of... well, anyway, out of the six we found tied up, only two made it back. They took down two wardens and a civilian on the way down." The mesmer's eyes widened, but her face remained impassive. It was becoming out of hand. She needed to get to the Silverwastes. She needed to talk to Trahearne. And soon.

"Have either of you heard from Trahearne?" Eileria asked, her voice steady, despite the despairing news.

"Not in person." Caithe answered, flipping a white leaf from her face. "He's been leading the pact in the Silverwastes for quite some time now. It's only a matter of time before they make an attack on Maguuma. Speaking of which, _commander..._ " Eileria tensed, knowing what was coming next.

"He requested your presence directly today, a letter had been sent with word from the Silverwastes. Whatever business you _thought_ you had here... it's best you save it for a later time. The pact needs you. The Marshall needs you."

The lichen colored sylvari nodded her head, knowing that her duty to her people was not fulfilled. Her wyld hunt for the dragons could be infinite. And she was worried. This dragon was the hardest to fight. The fight didn't feel like a match of skill. It felt like a battle of wits. And the sylvari had been born handicapped.

...

Another short chapter, I'll work on getting some longer, more in depth chapters in here. Please not, I may not follow the events of the living story to a T... I'm trying to follow the general content, but changes are made here in there according to which portions I've done, and which ones I've skipped. Anyway, enjoy! More to come soon!


	5. Calm Before the Storm

Purpose Chapter 5: Calm before the Storm

...

The Silverwastes were fluctuating with movement, busyness that Eileria had not seen in quite some time. But the tone of emotion was edgy. The tension, nearly palpable. Strange looks were turned her way as she walked briskly to the main building, many looking fearful, some looking awed. It looked like news had spread quicker than she would have liked. A group of Sylvari turning on their own was _not_ what people wanted to hear, just after the fiasco with Scarlet Briar, and news of a Zepherite ship, supposedly taken down by a sylvari as well. People were loathe to trust what they couldn't see for themselves, and many took rumors for fact as they skittered about, avoiding the plant-like humanoids.

Climbing the stairs to the platform, the mesmer's mind was in a million places yet again. She had been busy, truly, investigating the crash of the Zepherite ship. The dream encounter with the sapling. Regrouping with the pact. Researching and investigating Scarlet Briar's notes, and her belongings. There had been so much to keep track of, so many things unaccounted for. So many things to see, to find answers to. She hardly felt as if she were making progress, and as the Pact commander, she felt as if perhaps she were losing grip on her duty to Tyria. To her people.

Upon reaching the platform, Eileria was surprised to see not only Trahearne, leaning over a table, adorned with maps, strange devices that _ticked_ as they rotated, a look of avid concentration on his face, but also, two familiar faces, standing side by side, looking worried as they watched the Marshall chart across the maps.

"Kasmeer? Marjory?" The two in question turned in surprise, to see the tall commander walking towards them.

"Commander!" Kasmeer exclaimed, coming forward and giving the sylvari a gentle embrace. "It's been a bit!" Eileria laughed.

"It's been a few days at most." Eileria commented. Marjory had come to join the two mesmers.

"True." She interjected, wrapping an arm around Kasmeer's waist. "We were actually just about to contact you. There's been signs of Mordremoth activity near Brisban Wildlands, and we were wondering if you'd like to help us come investigate." Eileria tilted her head in surprise.

"There's more?" She asked, crossing her arms, attention solely on the two humans.

"Sure is." Kasmeer replied, her eyes wary. "After we tracked down Aerin, Taimi said she thought she may have found Scarlet's last known lodging." Eileria nodded, gesturing for her to continue. "We're going to meet her there to take a look. It can't hurt, and honestly, with everything that's happening..." She trailed off, looking at the Sylvari commander apologetically.

"Of course, I'll meet you there." Eileria replied, choosing to ignore the look. "I'll need to speak with the Marshall first, though." the two nodded, saluting the commander before walking down the steps towards a way point. Eileria took a deep breath, and turned to the Marshall, who was staring at her, his golden eyes calm, despite everything.

"It's truly well to see you again, Eileria." He greeted, taking one of her hands in both of his. "I know that you have been busy. I don't mean to pull you in yet another direction."

"You know I don't mind, Marshall." Eileria teased, smiling easily at the necromancer. "Please, tell me what you're thinking. I need to hear it from someone else." The man nodded his assent, turning back to the maps, and gesturing for Eileria to view them as well.

" I'm not noticing a specific pattern." He promptly continued, his fingers tracing the paper at several marked points. "Or at least, _I_ haven't found one. I believe one of your comrades in arms has noticed a pattern, something I'm sure she'll tell you herself once you meet up with them in Dry Top." He paused, lifting his gold eyes to her again.

"Have you..." He seemed hesistent to continue. Eileria placed a gentle hand on his shoulder, encouraging him to finish his thought. "Have you been hearing him? The dragon?"

Eileria sighed, having known this was where the conversation would eventually lead. She nodded her head, and Trahearne sucked in a small breath.

"He has quite the manner of speech, no?" Trahearne said, attempting to lighten the mood. Eileria sighed again, nodding.

"He's speaking to saplings now, Trahearne." She spoke softly, beneath her breath. "His reach is even inflicting the dream. I'm starting to fear for the worst." Trahearne's face was grim, and Eileria could feel the tension of the unknown simmering between the two.

"This is disturbing news indeed." He replied, his voice as low as hers, delibrately trying not to attract attention. "With those suspicions confirmed, I really think it might be time to meet up with your friends. There is more to this that we'll be able to go into blindly." He lifted his gaze, scanning the area around the silverwastes, where many people were bustling about, oblivious to the seriousness of the situation at hand.

"I'll leave it to you commander." He said firmly, his gaze still on the people below. "Once you give me the word... I'll begin moving the fleet into Maguuma." Eileria nodded, sending the marshall a quick salute, before turning heel and heading straight for the nearest waypoint, her quest for answers seeming to have become so much bigger.

...

Wychmire Swamp reminded Iedreth of the edges of her dream, where the light did not shine, and much of the plant life was covered in heady moss, dark tresses of vines, and slithering creatures with eyes that reflected and watched as you passed by, waiting to strike for their next meal. The water was murky, filled with algae and teeming with small creatures that swam away quickly with each step she took. The swamp floor _squelched_ with each step she took, and felt thick upon her boots, which she felt would never be able to clear the smell, let alone the grime beneath the water.

"Nightmare Courtiers _like_ to live here?" She asked incredulously, her frown upturned in moderate disgust. Kairith chuckled at her, eyes filled with mirth.

"I don't suppose you've ever _met_ a courtier." He replied, eyeing the white Sylvari precariously. She shook her head, her pink eyes meeting his.

"No, I am a newborn after all." She remarked, rolling her eyes at the thief. He chuckled, but then his expression darkened.

"Then we should be extra careful." He said, his voice serious. "The Nightmare Court lives to corrupt the dream. Therefore, saplings such as yourself are simply too delicious to resist."

"Why would anyone want to do such a thing." She murmered, more to herself than to Kairith. She remembered the dark vines that had penetrated her dream. The dark red eyes and the soft whispers that sent chills through her body. She knew, corruption was about power. She'd seen it in the memories of her fallen brothers and sisters. She'd seen it in the vines that pulsed with energy that was not in any way natural. And though she was young, she knew; Corruption was power. Power was control. Control, was domination. She suddenly felt cold, her thoughts taking a turn into darker territory, as if something were trying very hard to peel her apart, layer by layer. She instinctively wrapped her arms around herself.

"We don't have to go all the way through." Kairith said, interpreting her posture as fear of the Courtiers. "There are plenty of ways around without-"

"No, I'm here to help." She replied, steeling herself. She took a deep breath, and kept her hands firmly grasped against the handles of her swords. "Just... help me." Kairith nodded, and gestured that she follow him closely. She edged closely to the thief, nearly touching him. She noticed then that he smelled of spruce and mint leaves. Very pleasant. She felt her cheeks heat up as she realized it was strange that she was focusing on his _smell_.

They edged along the wall of the swamp towards a darkened area, where Iedreth could hear a few voices talking. The voices were not gentle, or soft as she often heard in the grove. These voices were grating, dark, and gave her the impression of thorns, sharp and malicious. She took a peek beyond Kairith, and saw three Sylvari, standing in an improvised circle, making general conversation. They didn't _look_ evil, but there was something... off, about their appearance. They all wore dark, almost rotted looking armor, with plenty of thorns and barbs upon them. There skin tones ranged from black as night to a frosted blue, but their eyes were what truly made them seem the most menacing. Their pupils were small, and two of the three had deep, red eyes. The third's eyes were nearly black. A sylvan hound stood obediently next to the only female in the group, and Iedreth reflexively took a step back, unwilling to be found out by this creature, whom she could only assume would smell them, should they come too close.

A shudder went through her body, and a sensation like trickling water, and she realized that Kairith had cast a camoflaging spell over them. At that exact moment, a fourth, imposing looking courtier, with dark, heavy armor and putrid green eyes, stalked over to the small group, the sneer upon his face unpleasant.

"Shouldn't you three be roving this area?" The man asked, his deep voice harsh and commanding. The three sylvari stood at rapt attention, their backs ram-rod straight.

"O-of course, right away Count Meinhard!" They stammered, nearly in unison, before rushing off away from the imposing man. Kairith gripped Iedreth's arm and dragged her away from the edge of the wall before she felt the cloak of invisibility disappear. She realized she had been staring.

"They were terrified of him." She said, her eyes wide. "He didn't even do anything to them."

"We'd best avoid him." Kairith said, his eyes hard, still staring at the man. "I knew him before he was in the court." Iedreth's mouth popped open in surprise, and she took another look at the Count. His bark was a pleasant gray color, neutral, but his face was molded like a humans, with grating, edgy scars across the right side of his cheek and eye. His eyes were a toxic looking green, and the leaves adorning his head were sharp, like needles, and precisely the same shade of green as his eyes. His armor was inky black, and clearly the most quality of sylvari-made armor.

"You _knew_ him?" She asked slowly, her voice hardly a whisper. "Or..." Kairith did not answer her at first, and she turned to look at him. He had a peculiar look on his face. He took her arm again, and pulled her to the edge of the swamp, several yards from where the courtiers had previously stood.

"His name was once Adair." Kairith began, his eyes still following the Count's movements. "He was born in the cycle of Dusk. Just before I was." His eyes seemed faraway, and Iedreth realized he was seeing someone else, a different time. She listened closely.

"Adair was intelligent. Always asking questions, wanting more information. He knew Ventari's tablet like the back of his hand. He never seemed unable to answer a question, and many of the younger sylvari would go to him, wanting to know things, learn things. They offered form him to take up the position of a mender, or a teacher, but he wanted to explore, learn more about the outside world, the rest of Tyria." His voice hardened, as he recalled his past. "I was leaving the grove to go towards Wayfarer Hills, a Norn civilization, and he asked that he tag along. At the time, I really wanted nothing to do with a companion but... His knowledge would prove beneficial. So I allowed it. But something felt... off."

He shook his head, the fronds on his head glinting in the green filtered light.

"Adair and I travelled to Wayfarer Hills and he seemed eager to learn about Norn culture. Too eager. His pursuit of knowledge seemed to not be able to be quenched. He was, as they say, a 'bottomless pit' ready to consume anything and everything one could give him."

"I suspect it was towards the end of our journey through Norn territory that he began to start to reject the teachings of Ventari, and by extension, our blessed mother." He shot a look at the man, who was standing rigidly, watching the three courtiers pace the outside of the swamp, sending fearful looks in his direction. "He was far more quiet and withdrawn than I had seen him the entire time I'd travelled with him. I offered to take him back to the grove, thinking perhaps he hadn't the stomach for adventure." He laughed, but it was humorless, dark.

"If I had known then what I knew now..." He trailed off, settling out of his crouch, standing straight. Iedreth looked at him expectantly, but he didn't continue. She tugged on his sleeve.

"What then?" She asked, her eyes filled with curiousity. Kairith looked into her eyes, deliberating.

"I took him back to Caledon forest." He said slowly, editing his memory. "He said that he had something he wanted to see, to check. I asked if he would be alright, he wasn't much of a fighter then. But he insisted he would be alright. He thanked me for allowing him to travel with me, and went on his merry way." His face was impassive, but his voice was bitter when he continued.

"The next time I saw him, the court had already warped him into what he is now. A corrupted thorn out of a blooming flower." Iedreth's face was compassionate, and she leaned her head against his, closing her eyes softly.

"It's not your fault that he chose the path he did." She told him, opening her eyes to look him in the face. "You cannot make choices for others. Only for yourself." Kairith sighed, nodding and sending a brief smile her way.

"For a newborn, you are quite wise." He offered, and she felt a rush of pleasure at the compliment. Kairith stiffined next to her, and she began to feel another wave of trickling, when it was suddenly stopped short, and a pair of green eyes was staring directly at them.

"I knew I sensed something familiar." The Count sneered, his green eyes nearly glowing in the light. "How pleasant to see you again Kairith." Kairith assumed a very defensive stance, his daggers drawn and held out in front of him. He was already blocking Iedreth from view.

"Adair. Or, should I call you Meinhard, now?" Kairith asked, his words as sharp as the blades he held. The courtier laughed, and Iedreth felt a shudder go down her spine.

"Oh, so techy!" He chuckled with mirth. "You act as though I've turned into a troll, or perhaps a krait, with all the venom in your voice. We've been through this Kairith. I've not changed, just become... more informed." Kairith's expression hardened, and he shifted in response to the count moving closer. The Count's eyes zeroed in on Iedreth, and he paused, his eyes growing wide.

"You." He said, his eyes seemed stuck on her face. "I know you. I've seen your face before..." He paused, unsure for a moment, and then the sneer on his face grew into a wide grin. Iedreth frowned. She had never seen this man before. How could he possibly have known her?

"Oh, this _is_ interesting!" The courtier laughed, taking a few steps back, drawing his mace from his back. Kairith gritted his teeth, and Iedreth took a step back, drawing her blades.

" _This_ is the girl from _our_ dream!" The courtier chortled, and Iedreth started, confused. _Our dream?_

"You will not _touch_ her, Adair." Kairith said, the threat in his voice not veiled in the slightest. The courtier laughed, feigning to the left, watching as Kairith mirrored him.

"You think this is something I will walk away from, brother?" His toxic green eyes stared at icy blue, and his grin widened. "Just think, she will be a _magnificent_ addition to the Nightmare. A seductress of darkness. A coy distraction from the dream, the very _thought_." He seemed so exuberant that Iedreth felt herself taking an involuntary step backwards. Whoever this man thought he was, he clearly had some ideas for her that she very much did not want to participate in. And judging by her companion's stance, he was on her side.

"She does not belong to the nightmare." Kairith spat, and suddenly, he was gone, in a blink, a flash, a shadow, and he was behind the Count, who parried his daggers quickly and shoved the thief back, a wide, manic grin adorning his face.

"Not yet, perhaps." He continued, his voice erratic with excitement. "I had no idea, I couldn't have _imagined_ , that it would be _you_ , one who shared a dream with me, that you would bring to me the subject of my dark hunt. How delicious!" He slammed his mace into the thiefs shoulder and then spun down, swinging a leg out to swipe Kairith's feet from under him, but the thief was no slouch, quickly dodging and rolling to the side, throwing a dagger at the guardian, who simply lifted his mace to block the blade.

"Tut, tut. You should know better than _that_ , Kairith." The Count admonished, his tone dark. "Your little daggers never did match the mace." He sneered at the cerulean haired sylvari. "A waste of talent, truly. The offer still stands you know. Despite your reservations, your skillset would very much be welcomed in the court." Kairith growled, pouncing nearly like a jungle cat, startling the man and knocking him off of his feel, earning him a mace to the shoulder and a kick to the leg before he blinked away, again blocking Iedreth from the courtier.

Iedreth knew she should help Kairith, but something in her froze. The implications of what he was saying. She had appeared in Kairith's dream? She had appeared in the courtiers dream? What did it all mean? She felt a flood of confusion, and her limbs seemed to lock, her eyes frozen on the two men in front of her. Kairith wiped away a trickle of blue sap, trailing from a ripped section of his arm, and pulled a short broadsword from a sheath at his side.

"Getting serious now, are we?" Meinhard laughed, before settling into a serious expression, and focusing a blueish glow into his mace.

The two ran at each other so quickly it was almost a blur. Iedreth watched as each dodged and parried, their skills even as they countered each other, blow for blow, like a dance, where each were trying to out-do the other. But Iedreth knew before it happened, that they couldn't go forever. Eventually, one would tire.

Was she really going to stand there and watch?

She shook her head, trying to regain her senses, and gripped her swords tightly, the sap in her veins pumping quickly, a dense ringing in her ears. She couldn't see an opening to distract, to attack. The two of them were attacking so quickly, so focused, that if she interjected now... she risked hurting Kairith.

The mere thought put a lump into her throat.

Iedreth kept her stance up, watching, waiting for an oppurtunity to interrupt, to begin to help, but it seemed Kairith didn't need her help. He was slowly gaining the upper hand, the courtier was being pushed back, a look of concentration on his face as his feet moved quickly to counter the thiefs quick movements and jabs. The courtier snarled when the broadsword sliced through a layer of his armor as if it were butter, and lunged at the thief, who, not expecting a move from such a careful guardian, tumbled into the swamp water with a great _thud_ and _splash_ before being pushed under the water by the courtier, and then slammed into a nearby boulder with a sickening _crunch_.

Blue sap oozed from a deep gash on Kairith's head and the thief seemed dazed, blinking quickly and pulling a hand to cover his head. Iedreth dropped her blades, running, _sprinting_ to join him at his side. She had to help, she had to do _somthing_.

Midway through her run she was whipped backwards, knocking the breath right out of her as she slammped into the dense swamp, coughing before attempting to get back up, only to have a strong arm wrap itself around her upper torso, lifting her clear off the ground, thorns digging into her collarbone.

"KAIRITH!" She screeched, her hands clawing at the hardened bark armor of the courtier. She tried to kick back, but the courtier seemed to know she would try, and swept her legs up, gripping them tightly with his other arm. She felt dizzy as breathing became even harder, and she saw Kairith's eyes, terrified, watching her closely. He tried to stand, but something snapped and he stumbled to the ground, a groan of agony trailing from his mouth. Iedreth moaned and continued to claw at the courtier, who chuckled at her attempts to fight him off, all the while, watching her slowly lose conciousness.

"Don't worry little flower." The Count said, his voice whispering in her ear. "We won't damage you _too_ much. Would be a shame for such a pretty face to be ruined." He took one last look at Kairith.

"I'll take her from here." He told the thief amicably. "When she's been perfected, I'll return her to you, so she can slit your throat while you beg for mercy." And with a cold, chilling laugh, the corrupted guardian walked away, Iedreth's last vision of Kairith's terrified blue eyes, before all that she could see was black.

...

A pair of pink eyes watched the scene unfold curiously from the edge of the swamp, her hand on her greatsword, body tensed as the courtier disappeared. She had walked up towards the end of the battle, but she was sure that she had just witnessed something _very_ diabolical go down. Unsure of how to proceed, she took in the male sylvari's appearance. He looked rather beaten down, and if left there...

Despite her reservations, she knew although it might be none of her business, she couldn't just leave a fellow adventurer down like this. So with a quick glance in both directions, she quickly skittered to the man's side, hoping for once her first aid was worth _something._

...

Wow, that was a doozy of a chapter! I wasn't really _trying_ to go in that direction, but the story had a mind of its own and well, before I knew it... Well, anyway. I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and there will be more to come soon! (I left a little tiny cliffie, don't hate me! DX )3 Shoutout to Szallejh, who has reviewed twice. I'm glad you like the story, and I hope I continue to impress!


	6. Seizure

Purpose, Chapter 6: Seizure

...

Authors Note: I increased the rating to M due to the content I intend to cover in this chapter. While there is no sexually explicit material in this chapter, there will be slightly graphic violence, and I think it will be safer placed in M, just to be safe. Please feel free to continue to enjoy the story as it enfolds, and don't be _too_ upset. ;)

...

"BELINDA!"

Marjory's cry of grief resonated hard, as they came across the deceased Delaqua, her face pale and bruised, armor ravaged and torn, battered. Eileria was rigid, her eyes darting back and forth, surveying the damage that Mordremoth's vines had wrought. She had just been here. She had just seen Belinda, the seraph, alive, laughing. Ready for anything. Ready for the mordrem attacks. This wasn't right. It _couldn't_ be right. Not like this. Was there anything this dragon wouldn't touch? Was anything sacred at all?

The necromancer's cries echoed among the silence, hardly muffled by Kasmeer's arms, her expression nearly unreadable beneath the grief. She tucked the woman into her chest, leaning her cheek against her hair, offering her comfort. Eileria stood, still as a statue. Unsure of what to do, how to proceed. For once, she was lost.

"We're here, Jory." Kasmeer said, stroking the ebony hair of her lover.

"I know." Came the muffled reply, a sad and small reply. Eileria knelt down next to Kasmeer, unsure of what she should do. She wanted to comfort her but...

"Tell us what you need." Kasmeer insisted, watching warily as Marjory pushed away from Kasmeer slightly, wiping at her eyes with the back of her arm.

"I'm fine. I'm okay." She took a deep breath, her face red, her lip quivering. "I'll be alright. I'm sorry." Kasmeer looked at her sympathetically, looking as if she wanted nothing more than to tuck her into her arms and hold her tightly.

"I understand completely." She replied instead, giving the necromancer the space she needed.

"I can't lose control here." Marjory whispered, and Eileria wasn't sure the woman was really speaking to them anymore. "If you're too sweet to me... I'll fall apart." Kasmeer's expression fell to hurt quickly, but just as fast, smoothed over into a neutral face, trying to be strong for her lover.

"Okay, okay." Kasmeer said, her eyes scanning the dessicated fort, tears pooling at the edges. "We have, we have a lot of work to do." At Marjory's assent, she stood, allowing Marjory to take her hand.

"Right. I have to... get her ready. Take her home... I have to-" Her voice broke, her expression devastated. "I have to tell momma... " Kasmeer nodded, a hand on the small of her back lending her support in any way she could. Eileria took a step back, allowing the two to come to terms with what had happened. Eileria could tell by the way they spoke together that there was tension building, something was straining, only so close to breaking. Unable to bear any further loss this day, she turned instead to the vines, her frustration welling over, causing her to clutch her blades with knuckles strained, her mouth set in a thin line. This had to stop. The Elder Dragons were indiscriminate, that was sure. But this... It hit too close to home. She drew a blade, hacking at the vines across the fort, gently laying down the fallen, the dead Seraph. There would be much to do, and there would be little time for goodbyes. For now, this much she could do, before returning to Taimi.

There was much work to be done.

...

"Hold still, you took quite the hit to the cranium, you may be experiencing some occipital dysfunction, and minor dysequilibrium." Kairith paused, the language for a moment confusing him. He shook his head slightly, and felt a rush of dizziness hit him. He opened his eyes slowly, and took a moment to focus. A pair of bright, peachy pink eyes stared at him, set into a cheeky face of an Asura, her hot pink dreadlocks piled onto her head and secured by a dark headband with geometric shapes stamped into it. Her armor was plate, scuffed in places but no less than worse for wear, and a greatsword, nearly twice her size, was set on the dry ground beside her. He blinked twice, not sure he could trust his eyes. She was looking at him very inquisitvely, and he noticed she had bandages in her hands, half held up as though he'd woken halfway through her applying them.

"Wh... Where, where's Iedreth?" He tried to stand, another wave of dizziness passing over him, and he spun around, his eyes scanning the nearly empty swamp for his albino compainion.

"I assume you refer to the ivory tinted sylvari that was dragged off by the grandiose dark cavalier?" The asura asked, shoving the remaining bandages into her rucksack, lifting her greatsword up to hitch it to her back. She looked up at the azure sylvari expectantly and he looked back down at her, his expression exasperant.

"Yes, that's exactly the one." He replied, picking up his daggers and clasping them to his belt. "If you could just, point me... in the general direction..." The sylvari groaned as he felt a wave of nausea pass over him. He had to have been poisoned. The spinning still hadn't stopped.

"I don't think that will do you much good." The diminuative asura replied, flipping a pink dredlock from her face. "The pair _went_ that way," She told him, pointing east. "But they didn't _actually_ pass through that way. Literally, disappeared. As if an occular delusion." Kairith cursed under his breath. Tyria was a large place, and there were many Nightmare Court encampments. It could take days to track the man down. And by then...

"I can't just give up." He said, coughing, and swaying on his feet. "I have to find her, have to..."

"Whoa there, you're in no condition to-"

"They will _hurt_ her." He snarled, his expression mutinous. The asura raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms and tapping her foot.

"And it will take twice as long to find her if I have to haul you along, rather than you being at optimum salubriousness." She quipped. "You _need_ to see an actual healer. Those bandages are a temporary fix, so to speak." Kairith blinked at the asura, who looked as if she'd try to drag him off herself if he so much as tried to follow the trail as he was.

"Fine." He snapped, stomping off towards Treemarch Estuary. "I'll get a mender. But then I'm tracking that specious courtier to wherever he is hiding-" He cut off, his expression looking murderous.

"Well come on then," the little asura remarked, pushing the sylvari forward. "The quicker we get you to the mender, the quicker we can start the hunt. It's been a while since I've had a good inquest.

...

Iedreth groaned and sat up, her whole body feeling sore, achey. Her eyes were still adjusting to the darkeness that she seemed to be enshrouded in. She shifted and a sharp pain went through her leg. She ran her fingers along the edge of her calf to find a long, narrow cut, crusted over with dry sap. When had she...

She remembered losing conciousness in the swamp. The courtier knocking her unconcious, leaving Kairith behind. He was still in the swamp, hurt, injured.

She scrambled to her feet, only to knock her head on thorned brambles above her head. Her eyes scanned her prison, a bulbous creation of heavy bark and thorns, most likely meant to keep in sylvan hounds. The mere thought made her swallow hard. They were treating her like an animal, and this was not a good sign. She patted her sides, feeling for her weapons, and she was not surprised that she had nothing of value on her person to use as a tool, not even a sharp stick. She exhaled in a gust, stuck in her thoughts. She knew she had to escape. Though she knew little of the court, she knew enough to know whatever they had planned for her would be far from pleasant. She had no desire to wait and find out.

"If you're planning an escape, it'd be best to just forget it now." A small, meek voice piped up, causing Iedreth to jump. She turned on her knees, to find a small, crouched figure, sitting in the very back corner of the barbaric cage. It was too dark for Iedreth to make out much, but she _could_ tell that it was another sylvari female, one even more petite than herself, with short, angular leaves for hair that got longer the closer to her chin they were, and her glow was a gentle honey color. She narrowed her eyes, trying to make out more details, but it was far too dark to see much else. She did note that the girl was dressed sparcely, almost the bare minimum, and she seemed to draw into herself, to become smaller. Iedreth crawled close to the girl, who recoiled back and shook like a leaf, her eyes wide.

"I'm not going to hurt you." Iedreth whispered calmly. "What is your name?" The sylvari girl seemed hesitant, but, in a small voice, she replied.

"Aisling." Iedreth smiled at the small sylvari, trying to remain calm and collected.

"I am Iedreth, of the cycle of noon." She told the girl, holding out her hand. "You don't need to be afraid of me. I'm trapped, just as you are." The sylvari eyed her hand for a moment before talking it, squeezing gently.

"You'll have to forgive me." She told Iedreth timidly. "As you can see, I'm often alone. The company I _do_ receive is often not pleasant." She shuddered, and turned her eyes to look over the pale sylvari. "I wonder why they chose _now_ to give me a cellmate." She said ruefully. Iedreth shrugged, leaning back against a bare part of the brambles.

"I could only speculate." Iedreth replied drily, closing her eyes. "How long have you been here, Aisling?" The small sylvari seemed hesitant to answer, pulling at her fingers.

"I'm not sure anymore." She said in a small voice. "I only kept track the first few days but... It's so dark here, and they take me out at odd intervals, I'm not even sure if it's day or night now." Iedreth frowned, not liking the sound of that. It seemed like the Court was keeping their prisoners confused, not allowing them to make sense of their surroundings. It made distracting onesself from pain easier. Aisling wouldn't have even the privelige of seeing the sun to lessen her pain.

"I do know you've been here for what feels like a half a day." Aisling continued, seeming content to finally have someone to talk to. "The Count in charge here, Meinhard, I think, He dropped you off in here and then started yelling at some of the lowly initiates. I guess one of them took a blade to your leg. That's what it's all congealed like that. I heard him slamming his mace into her from here. It was very unpleasant."

Iedreth pretended not to acknowledge that. She recalled that the man had remarked that they wouldn't damage her too badly. Perhaps he had really meant that no one but _him_ would be allowed to mark her. The thought sent a cold shiver down her spine.

"I take it you've tried to escape?" Iedreth asked, her voice delibrately low. Aisling leaned closer.

"Yes, many times." She replied, her voice tense, full of warning. "They beat me harder for trying to escape. They allowed the hounds after me the third time. I stopped trying to escape after that. They celebrated then. They thought it meant I was starting to break." She said bitterly. Iedreth eyed the girl warily. It _sounded_ like they weren't too far off. This sylvari's spirit had just begun to break. It wasn't there yet but... Iedreth had a feeling there wasn't much fight left in her.

"Do they feed you?" Iedreth asked, eyes roving over the slight sylvari's body.

"Not often." Aisling lamented. "Mostly when I'm too weak to fight back. They like it when their prey struggles." Iedreth sighed, not knowing what to do. She did know that she needed to escape this place, and so did Aisling. Neither of them would last long in the dank cold darkness that seemed to seep into their very being.

"Don't give up, Aisling." the white sylvari said, placing a gentle hand on her leg, feeling raised scars and gashes along the slight sylvari's limb. "Remember our mother, we will get out of here, and you'll go back to the grove, you'll be safe again."

Aisling opened her mouth to reply when a cackling laughter echoed in the chamber they were in, before a lantern illuminated them both, and Iedreth caught view of the sylvari she was jailed with. Her bark had originally been a silky looking peach color, but was not dotted with golden gashes, cuts, lacerations, the whole nine. Her hair was a dark gray, her eyes an emerald green. Her lip trembled as she stared past the cage, and Iedreth followed her gaze to see a Nightmare Courtier standing there, a hound at her side. The courtier was garbed in darkened leathers of sylvari origin, her hair an eggplant purple, with beady small eyes pitch black, and a pinched face inlaid with thorns. The smile on her face was wicked, and teeth were sharpened to a point, gleaming against the lantern's light. The nightmare hound growled at the two inmates, and the courtier chuckled, placing a hand against the creature's nose.

"Patience now, sweetling." She cooed to the nightmare creature, her smile still wide. "We've come to fetch your toy now, but you'll have to wait to get a piece of the new branchling. Her captor has other plans for her." Iedreth knew the Knight was saying this aloud purely for her benefit. She could feel the malicious intent rolling off the knight in waves. The courtier pulled a large keyring off her belt, sifting through for a small thorny key, inserting it into a small fixture on the edge of the arced cell.

"Come to the front of the cell, dearheart, or this will hurt all the more." She leered at Aisling. The small sylvari scrambled to the front of the cage, whimpering all the way, and Iedreth's eyes widened in shock. It hadn't been apparent from her speech, but the girl was already acting out of obedience. She needed to get out of here _soon_.

The courtier must not have been concerned about Iedreth, because she opened the cell wide, pulling harshly on the girls arm to tug her out, moving slowly to push the gate closed. Iedreth shifted her weight into a crouch, then blinked, shoving the courtier into the cage and slamming it shut, wrenching the key out. The hound barked, growling at her and the small sylvari, but she lunged at it, tackling it to a nearby tree, where it yelped and slid to the ground, unconcious.

"Mele!" The courtier screeched, eyes wide at the abuse to her pet. "You'll pay for that you wretch!"

"Tell it to someone who cares." Iedreth retorted, helping Aisling to her feet. "C'mon, we can't delay, it won't be long before they notice she's missing." Aisling's eyes were wide with fear, but she nodded, following behind the mesmer carefully. They followed the wall away from the angry screeches of the courtier, all the while looking for any exit that they could use, but the den was _huge_ and courtiers were around everywhere.

"This is going to be difficult." Iedreth said under her breath, looking around carefully. "There are courtiers everywhere. I see why you had so much difficulty escaping before."

"You dispatched of the Knight of Malice quicker than I ever could have." She told the mesmer in awe. "I'm not proficient in any form of specialty, I was a gardener before I was captured. But that... that was amazing!" Iedreth smiled ruefully at the small girl.

"Yes, well, it won't do us much good if we can't find a way out of here." Aisling nodded, focusing on the task at hand. She pointed to a small patch of brambles that had only a couple of courtiers nearby, and no hounds, meaning less chance of discovery. Iedreth desperately wished she had her blades, though she supposed it was actually a blessing, as she'd surely be caught toting around two swords, and the noise they'd make...

"We have to be extremely quiet." Iedreth remarked, looking at their proposed route carefully. "If we attract any sort of attention... well, I'm sure you can imagine." Aisling pushed herself closer to the mesmer, nodding her head, eyes still owlish in fear. "I'm no thief... so this is going to be hard..."

Iedreth began to tiptoe alongside the walls, trying her hardest to blend in with the shadows and the dense foliage that made up the courtier den. Luckily, much of the court seemed to be deep in conversation, and paid them no heed as they slowly and methodically made their way towards a the small proposed exit. Aisling's shallow breathing worried Iedreth, as she seemed so fragile, like a human child. But she knew she was the younger of the two, and she could only imagine what the sapling had been through to be this _broken_.

They edged closer to the exit, their breath bated, their eyes shifting as they watched the courtiers converse, unknowing that two of their prisoners were making a break for it, when they heard the momentous screech coming from the direction they'd just come from.

All the courtiers turned to look, and Iedreth tugged on Aisling, pushing her to run, now that they were distracted. They only had so far to go, just a few feet, and they could slide beneath the brambles. The two sprinted, sliding in the water to the edge of the brambles, already shimmying beneath them when one of the courtiers turned, spotting them.

"Prisoners!" He cried out, pointing at the two saplings as they wriggled beneath the gate. Iedreth gasped as the courtiers converged on them, and quickly tugged on Aisling's feet, pulling her the rest of the way through. Iedreth scrambled to her feet, grabbing Aisling's arm and pulling her to her feet as well, and was about to start into a dead sprint when she ran face first into something _very_ solid, bouncing her backwards, and loosening her grip on her comrade. However she didn't fall to the ground, as the very solid object clasped it's hands around her arms, squeezing tightly.

"Not just a pretty face at _all."_ Came a familiar voice. Iedreth's heart dropped and her face lifted to look into the eyes of the toxic green eyes of Meinhard. "And here I thought the swords were all for show, with all the use they got you back in the swamp. But that fighting spirit! There's no denying it, _you_ are a fighter." He licked his lips, and Iedreth felt her stomach turn, her arms aching as he tightened his grip on her.

"Not too smart though." He commented, sending a baleful glance at the cowering sylvari with wide eyes. "Kayle doesn't like her prey being stolen from her. Her temper is _quite_ the thing to see. He tilted his head at the white sylvari, his eyes narrowing.

"Though you are quite daring, trying to 'save' your friend here." He laughed, and Iedreth's stomach plummeted, her eyes now drawn to the crowd of courtiers gathering around them. "It won't save her the beating Kayle has in store for her now though." He turned to his courtiers, Iedreth still locked in his iron grasp.

"Take _her,_ " He said, nodding to the small sylvari. "back to the Knight of Malice. And for Nightmare's sake, pay more attention to your surroundings. The next time a prisoner escapes, one of _you_ will receive the beating meant for them." Three of the courtiers scrambled to the small sylvari, lifting her easily as if she weighed no more than bread, and dragged her back into the den, leaving only a small group left behind the Count.

"Count Meinhard?" One of them asked curiously, eyes trained on Iedreth's rebellious face.

"I've got this one, initiate. Go back inside. Find something to do." The remaining sylvari scurried off, leaving Iedreth alone, starting valiantly back at the dark courtier.

"Well now, why don't we take a walk and see how your new friend is doing?" Iedreth felt a sinking feeling in her stomach, and struggled effortlessly against the strong grip of the dark guardian. "Now, now, don't struggle. It just waste's precious energy. You'll have plenty of time to struggle and squirm later."

Many of the courtiers stole furtive glances in the albino sylvari's direction as she and her captor passed them, some in awe, some indifferent, some looking envious, though she couldn't for the life of her think of why. The grip on her body never loosened, and she could feel sap flooding to the areas where he held her against him, the ache growing worse by the minute. He walked briskly towards the back of the den, where there was a small well worn path, leading into a dark section of the forest. Whimpers and cries for mercy could be heard from a short distance, and the snapping of a whip, and growls of a hound. Iedreth struggled harder.

"Looks like Kayle wasted no time." Meinhard said, shooting a baleful glance at the struggling sylvari. "You really _should_ save your energy." He turned the corner, and Iedreth gasped, her eyes wide at the sight before her.

Aisling was crouched , head touching the ground, knees tucked in towards her face, arms wrapped around them, her back exposed and angry honey colored gashes colored her once beautiful pale peach skin. The girl was trembling, and jumped when the whip cracked against her skin, opening a clean cut across her back.

"P-p-please!" She cried, her voice muffled in the earth. The knight sneered, readying her whip again.

"You're begging will not stop your punishment _this_ time pet." The courtier lashed the girl again, and she cried out, her eyes wide and pupils tiny, face terrified and stuck in a perpetual scream. Iedreth could not bear to see the girl's pain.

"STOP!" Iedreth cried out, squirming in the guardian's grip. "She's just a sapling, you... you're horrid! Stop hurting her!" The knight stopped, out of pure surprise, and when her gaze landed on the white sylvari, her face went from pleasure to rage, her beady eyes seeming to blaze with pure hatred.

"YOU." She cried out, stepping towards the count, her whip raised as if to attack. Iedreth felt the sap flood through her arms, a sting of relief as the guardian dropped her to grab the wrist of the knight. Iedreth ran to Aisling's side, afraid to touch her, but afraid to do nothing.

"Aisling, Aisling can you hear me?" She whispered, but the small sylvari did not even lift her head to look at her.

"You will not touch this one, Kayle." The guardian commanded the knight, who gritted her teeth in anger. "You should be ashamed that you let your guard down in the face of such a young sapling." The knight recoiled, pulling her wrist away and sneering angrily at the Count.

"I was just taken off guard," She replied, her wounded ego evident in her voice. "I can assure you it won't happen again."

"I should hope not." The count said, his mouth set in a hard line. "I won't have you losing the focus of my dark hunt because of your carelessness." The knight scoffed, but turned heel, instead reaching down to wrench the small sylvari to her feet.

"To whom do you belong, little sapling?" She asked, hand forcing her chin up to look into the knights eyes. "Do you belong to yourself? Or perhaps you thought that you might be one with the dream again?" She scoffed, pushing the sapling to the ground, pressing a thorned boot to her leg, holding her in place.

"Answer me, knave." She repeated, pressing harder on the sylvari, who whimpered in pain. Iedreth stood, ready to lunge at the malicious female, when she was kicked back down, her arms pinned beneath her back. She could still see Aisling, who's face was wrenched in great pain.

"No answer?" The knight asked, her voice suddenly soft, almost kind. Were it not for the cold edge.

"P-p-please m-m-" A loud snap was heard and a cry that curdled Iedreth's sap, sending a shiver from crown to toe. The sapling's leg had been broken, shifted at an awkward angle, and the sapling screeched, grasping at her leg with her hands, trying to release herself from the pain. The knight kicked the girl in the rips, sending her flying into the wall, the breath knocked out of her, her screaming stopped. Iedreth growled beneather her breath, her eyes trained on the knight. The guardian smiled, making no comment as he watched Kayle push the sapling to her feet, holding her to the wall with her arm.

"I'll ask once more, pet." The knight whispered in the sapling's ear, "Whom do you belong to?"

"Aisling!" Iedreth cried, her voice muffled in the dirt.

"You, mistress!" The girl gasped, her emerald eyes wildly spinning, her face drawn in pain. "I belong to you mistress! No one else! Please, no more pain!" The knight smirked in her victory, patting the young sylvari's head, watching her slide to the ground with a satisfying _thunk_. She walked away from the beated sylvari, taking a moment to stop, leaning down to look at the pink eyed sylvari. She smiled, her eyes narrow and face victorious.

"This, sapling," She said, gesturing to Aisling. "Is where your dream comes to die." She stood, laughing, and making a clicking noise with her tongue, she called to the sapling, who crawled after her master, as Iedreth watched in mute horror.

...

Another long chapter! I hope this is enough for now, the updates will probably only happen every three to four days now, if that. My days off are at an end, ah alas. Anywho, I hope you're enjoying so far! 3 stay tuned, more adventures to come!


	7. Whispers in the Dark

Purpose, Chapter 7: Whispers in the Dark

...

"That was quite a run in you must have had with the nightmare court," The mender admonished, face stern as he administered the last of his healing aid. "I would advise you stay away from them for a while. A valiant like yourself should know this by now." Kairith grunted in chagrin, and hopped off the stool, stretching his limbs to test them. Everything felt fine, better than ever, and the nausea from the poison, as well as the dizziness, had long since disappeared. The little asura stood by silently, her pink eyes faraway, waiting for his healing to be complete. He sent a look her way, but she didn't seem to notice, her attention not in a place or time that he was present.

"Do try to stay out of trouble, Valiant." The mender repeated, a meaningful look thrown in his direction. Kairith nodded.

"Thank you, mender." He replied, stepping towards the small warrior.

"Are you sure you want to tag along?" He asked her, breaking her from her reverie.

"Sure." She remarked, shifting her armor slightly. "May as well. Don't think you can handle the exploit by yourself at any rate." Kairith rolled his eyes, walking out of the warden camp, and into the fresh air just outside the swamp. He pulled a large map from his bad, flattening it down on a rock, peering over it carefully.

"There are Nightmare court dens all over Caledon and Brisban." He began, tracing a finger around red circles across his map. "There are a few that are abandoned now, Twilight Arbor for instance," He said, pointing to the den that he spoke of. "But a few are still active, Briarthorn for example." He paused, looking at the location.

"Briarthorn is less than a day's travel from here." He said, eyes scanning the map. "But there's a waypoint here that could get us even closer." The asura quirked a brow up at him.

"What's your plan, plant-man?" She asked, plopping down on a stump next to him. "Start from the bottom and work your way up?"

"Basically." Kairith admitted, his eyes still glued to the map. "But... I just have this feeling, intuition if you will. She's here."

"Well, I'm all for it." The asura said, walking towards the waygate. Hope you have enough for the fair."

"I have plenty." Kairith replied, pulling out his bad and dropping a gold coin into his palm. She eyed it suspiciously.

"You know, for someone with so much currency, you sure are very... close to home." She commented. Kairith shot her a look.

"It's good to visit home every now and then, don't you think?" The asura shrugged, her pink eyes faraway again.

"I suppose it just depends." She said, continuing to walk. Kairith followed, pausing for a moment, to look at her curiously.

"You're not like other asura at all, are you? " He shook his head when she shot him an inquisitive look, turning instead to look at the waypoint. "I never did get your name." He stated as they came upon the glowing waypoint. The asura smiled, showing a row of razor sharp teeth.

"The names Hiami." She replied. "College of synergetics, not that that probably means much to you." Kairith shrugged, stepping onto the waypoint.

"About as much as our cycles mean to you." He replied, slipping the gold piece into the transporter device. Hiami stepped in the circle, depositing her coin as well, and with a flash of light, the two disappeared, reappearing just outside Morgan's spiral.

...

"Eileria?" Eileria's eyes snapped open, and a strange view greeted her. Darkness, for a moment, before Taimi's head popped into her vision, looking both curious, and worried. Kasmeer's face joined hers before she felt Braham's strong hand push her gently into a seated position. Her hand flew to her head and she blinked, suddenly very confused.

"Boss?" Braham's voice sounded concerned. "Are you alright? Seriously, we were..."

"We heard you screaming," Kasmeer interjected. "We had to pull you out once that happened, we didn't have a choice." Eileria blinked at them, still trying to make sense of herself. She took a deep breath, waving them off with her unaffected hand.

"I'm... I'm fine." She remarked. "I... I just need a moment."

"Not surprised, commander of the pact survives an _outrageous_ outpouring of magic." Braham murmured under his breath. Rox rolled her eyes at him and Taimi shrugged as if she weren't surprised at all.

"What did you see, boss?" Taimi asked, nearly bouncing in excitement. "C'mon, it had to be good!" Eileria looked perplexed, but then resolved as she tilted her head to examine the asura.

"I saw everything." She said, her voice full of marvel and awe. "The eternal alchemy." She paused, noting the look from Rox, who looked less than skeptical. "It's interwoven so finely, with everything, all of Tyria. And... I'm a part of it."

"Not surprised really." Taimi remarked, her eyes wide. "After all, you're a bona-fied dragon hunter! Excelsior!" Eileria shook her head, still trying to gather her thoughts.

"It wasn't just that though." She continued, her voice wavering slightly. "The dragons, they're interwoven in the fabric too, but... at the center... at the center was the Pale Tree." Her companions were quiet as the took in the information but Eileria was still focusing on the image in her head. She'd seen the mother tree's true form many a time, but still, to see it as the _center_ of the very fabric of Tyria's existance... it was something she was unsure of, something that she hadn't expected. The dream. It was the dream.

"Why the pale tree though?" Rox whispered, her green eyes narrowed with confusion. "I mean, no offense boss, but, she's just a tree. What does she have to do with all this... alchemy... nonsense." Taimi shot the charr a look of disbelief, to which Braham snickered, earning a glare from said charr.

"I think we need to get a conference with her." Eileria replied, standing up and brushing off her armor. "I... I need to talk to her now. There is so much... I need answers. She will have them." Braham and Rox looked like they thought she might be mad, Taimi looked insanely jealous, and Kasmeer merely looked concerned.

"If you're sure." Kasmeer said, passing the mesmer's sword and shield to her. "I will request it for you if you like. I know you could just go see her whenever but..."

"No, I'd appreciate it if you did." Eileria agreed, surprising Kasmeer. "I'd like you to come with me too. I... I need to make a stop somewhere first, it will give me some time to sort out everything in my head..." Kasmeer nodded, and looked to the others.

"I'll get a conference with the Pale Tree, and get back to you all as soon as I can." She waved, and disappeared in a flash of violet. Taimi pouted, muttering under her breath, but Braham rolled his eyes good naturedly and lifted the little asuran onto his shoulder.

"We'll let you take the field trip next time, Taimi." Braham promised to the little asura, making Rox laugh.

"You'll be alright though, boss?" Rox asked, before walking through the door with Braham and Taimi. Eileria nodded, her thoughts muddled. She knew who she wanted, no, _needed_ to see, and she needed to soon.

"I'll be fine Rox, take care of those two for me. I'll see you both again soon." Rox nodded, saluting the commander before following the norn and asura through the door. Eileria sighed, placing a hand on her heart. She left the cavern, headed to the nearest waypoint, and teleported to the Silverwastes, searching the crowds for a familiar head of red hair.

She spotted her, sporting dark furs and heavy plate, speaking with one of the priory scholars, her expression bored, but respectful. Bryna never did care for idle conversation when she could be _doing_ something productive. But as it was, with no assault on maguuma... The norn didn't have much to do. Her gaze wandered, and spotted Eileria quickly, her eyes exposed, unusual for her, and looking lost, looking for _her._ She apologized to the priory human, before quickly rushing to Eileria's side, sweeping her up in her embrace.

"I was starting to think you weren't coming back." Bryna joked, her voice thick. Eileria buried her face in the norns shoulder.

"I'll always come back for you." Eileria remarked, lifting her eyes to her love. "I needed to see you." Bryna smiled, pressing her lips to the Sylvari's forhead.

"I'm glad you're here. I've been bored ever since I arrived." Bryna joked, her eyes looking to her right at the priory scholars gathered in the corner of the platform. "I've been missing you the whole time, wondering what sorts of things you've been doing."

"A lot, actually." Eileria commented, sitting down on the furs laid out in a small cubby just south of the waypoint. "I won't bore you with too many details. But I just am so... overwhelmed." Bryna plopped down as well, pulling the sylvari into the crook of her curves, running a hand along her arm.

"Get it all out, my beloved." Bryna said, holding the commander close. "I'm here to listen to all your woes." Eileria smiled.

The hours seemed to pass by quickly, day turning to dusk, dusk to night, as the pale green sylvari divulged the contents of her heart, the burden's held in her for just a few short days shared, relieving her of the great weight that she had been holding on her shoulders. Bryna listened intently, looking concerned, but also proud of her love. When Eileria had finished, her mouth was tired, but she felt refreshed, renewed. She cuddled into the norn woman, reveling in the warmth and the softness of her.

"It seems like your original burden has only grown, Leria." Bryna finally stated, breaking the comfortable silence. "You were created for something... big, something important." She looked nervous, a strange expression on such an imposing facec. "Maybe too important."

Eileria shifted to look her lover in the eyes. Sternly, but gently, she placed a hand on her cheek.

"I won't pretend I know _exactly_ what is going through your head right now." The sylvari remarked, patiently watching the norn. "But I could take a rather good guess. Please, don't feel like whatever calling I'm having... that, I would... abandon you."

Bryna smiled, placing her hand over top of the mesmer's, closing her eyes.

"I'm well aware that you wouldn't do that." She commented, her bright blue eyes flashing to green and lavendar. "But... this fight... The elder dragons..." She paused, unsure.

"I'm worried that our dynamic is going to change, and soon. I can feel it in the wind. Something is coming that will change things." She stared off into space, her mind somewhere else for a moment.

"If it changes, it will only be for the better." Eileria said comfortingly, confidently. "I can't do this alone, Bryna. I need you by my side every step of the way. You are my strength." Bryna smiled, nuzzling her nose against her love's.

"And you, mine."

...

Iedreth was roughly tossed back into the claustrophobic thorn prison, tumbling onto her backside as the Count closed the bramble cell and locked it tightly.

"There, safe and sound." He said, his tone sweet. Eileria glared at him, her pink eyes flashing in the darkness. The count laughed, eyeing the sylvari carefully.

"Don't be getting any ideas, dearheart." Iedreth felt herself recoil at the term of endearment, shudders going through her body. "One escape was interesting. Another will be irritating, and the punishment well... I can't promise that I'll be kind, if I find out you disappear again." He stroked his chin thoughtfully.

"I'm really just trying to _free_ you." He said softly, the change in tone startling the white sylvari. "You're shacked by Ventari's tablet, brainwashed. It owns you. But _you_ could own you."

"You're wrong." Was all she replied with, turning her back to the guardian. "You are shackled by the nightmare. And we shall see who the truly brainwashed one is."

Despite her protest, the Count still found it in him to laugh. She shrunk into herself, listening as he walked away, likely to find something else with which to occupy his time.

All Iedreth could think about in the moment was Aisling. She knew the girl was close to breaking but... There had to be a way to save her, to stop the inevitable. She'd heard whisperings before, that once someone accepted the nightmare into their hearts, there truly was no turning back. She wondered how such a thing could possibly occur. Sylvari naturally shied away from physical suffering, but, would being tortured _really_ warp someone to accept the nightmare? Or was it a lack of light, a lack of hope, forced upon them from sylvari who themselves had been warped... Iedreth was so confused, and she wasn't sure she would ever find the answers to the question's she'd been thinking to herself.

Time did indeed seem to pass very slowly through the time she spent in the cell, no sense of day or night, no change in the light. They must have purposely placed dense foliage in the area to keep it dark. In the time she spend trying to make sense of her surroundings, she received no company, friendly or otherwise, and was mostly thankful that, for the moment, she'd been forgotten.

It gave her time to think, come up with new plans, plans that could end up saving her life, or at least, stopping the Nightmare Court from causing any more devastation this day. What happened to Aisling, what was happening to others like Aisling, was enough to churn her stomach, but she couldn't let it waver her resolve. Her wyld hunt had yet to be complete. She couldn't abandon her dream, she couldn't abandon the _feeling_ that she had. The knowledge that somewhere in the future, she was going to help all of Tyria.

She couldn't do that if she was a courtier.

She was beginning to make contingencies for a second escape attempt when she heard feet coming towards her, two sets, one brisk, harsh steps, another, shuffling, scrambling, seeming to have difficulty keeping up with the first.

A dim light was enough to see that the Knight of Malice had come back to taunt her, a very subdued, and yet, _different_ Aisling following behind her, her eyes avoiding the mesmers. No longer was she scantily clad, her admission of submission likely earning her the right to be clothed. The armor she wore was dark, even for her grey bark, a mixture of reddish black hues and dark brown, the petals looking rotted and coarse. Thorned gauntlets covered her hands, and her eyes, such a vibrant emerald green, seemed to have changed slightly, darkening, no longer seeming luminescent. Her golden glow too seemed dimp, and her posture was clearly defeat.

It made Iedreth angry all over again.

"I see the Count has placed you back where you belong." The Knight sneered, leaning in close to the thorns. "Although he left you as he'd found you. If _I_ had found you..."

Iedreth grit her teeth, trying hard not to rise to the Knight's taunting. It would do no one any good to rise to the bait she set, and she'd just be risking losing her morality to the knight, who looked as if she fed on sapling dreams for breakfast.

"Well, I suppose there is always a chance that I might get to take care of you next time." She remarked absently, obviously having an inkling that Iedreth would try to escape again. Iedreth didn't respond, instead training her eyes on the peach sylvari who stood silently behind the Knight. Her dull green orbs were now pointed in Iedreth's direction, though they held no more hope. Whatever light Iedreth had seen when she'd first arrived, it was long gone now. The thought sent Iedreth's mood spiraling into darkness. She was already mourning the loss of her friend, the sylvari she tried so hard to free.

She had failed her.

"I do have things I need to attend to." The Knight continued, obviously not caring whether or not Iedreth actually responded. "I'll leave my lovely initiate here to keep you company. Try not to get too attached. She has a job to do once I return." The Knight cackled as she stalked off, and Iedreth had to take a deep breath to calm herself. She needed to get out of this place, and quickly.

"Aisling..." Iedreth began, her voice cracking. "Aisling please."

Aisling's eyes never left Iedreth's face, but they showed no signs of acknowledging anything she said. Iedreth's eyes narrowed.

"I'm so sorry, Aisling." She said, feeling moisture cluster in her eyes. Tears. "I am sorry that I failed you. But you don't have to do this. You don't _have_ to accept the nightmare. You know the dream-"

"Do I?" She suddenly cut in, her once small voice harsh, coarse like the armor she bore. Iedreth leaned away from the thorny barbs at the sudden hostility. It was worse than she'd feared.

"What can the dream really do, anyway?" She said, seeming to speak mostly to herself. "It can't stop the pain. I begged. I prayed, you know, to our mother. That she would stop the pain. That _anything_ could stop the pain." She paused, turning her dull green eyes to Iedreth.

"I didn't understand it before, not truly, anyway." Aisling continued, her eyes taking a strangely fanatic lightness. Iedreth scooted back in the cell. "The nightmare is interwoven, just as the dream is, in our every day lives. Suffering is _natural_. Necessary, one would say."

Iedreth was about to retort but Aisling cut her off with her hand, silencing her.

"Don't misunderstand, that doesn't mean I enjoy pain." She shuddered, her memories flooding back into her mind. "But it was during this pain that, finally, something came to stop it. The nightmare embraced me, and when it did, it brought with it some sense of clarity. A revalation. A epiphany, if you will." She stepped away from the thorny cell, beginning to pace.

"Once I accepted the nightmare, allowed it to nurture me, my eyes were opened. We are shackled by a belief that we should be following the rules of races not of ourselves. We try to bend to others, rather than embracing our true nature, our true purpose." Her green eyes found Iedreth's again, and she frowned.

"When the pain stopped, I knew." She placed her hands around the thorns, not seeming to notice as they sunk into her hands. "I knew I had to help other's to see. To see what I had seen. Why this suffering was necessary. How eventually, the suffering would end, as it had with me, and instead of a beaten, broken Sylvari following blindly the tablet of false promises," She licked her lips, seeming to stagger over her words. " I would become something more beautiful, more true. The true Sylvari."

"You couldn't be more wrong." Iedreth said in a small voice, her face wrenched in pain. "Suffering happens, yes. But that doesn't make the nightmare right. It doesn't make torturing others, right. It doesn't... It doesn't make _this_ ," She said, gesturing to Aisling. "Right. Please, Aisling, see what I'm seeing, don't give up on the blessed source-"

"I'm not giving up on her!" Aisling said, her voice incredulous. Almost offended that the mesmer had dared suggest such a thing. "I want to show her too. I want her to see that she is blinded by false promises. That there is more to her than just the dream."

Iedreth shook her head in disbelief, unsure of what else she could even try to say. She knew, she could tell, nothing she said now would pull Aisling from the nightmare now. She'd already chosen to take the path. She would be a courtier in no time, and would soon inflict the same pain upon others that was inflicted upon her, no remorse, no mercy. She could nearly see it, the once kind face, twisted with hatred, maliciousness. She couldn't bear it.

"Oh by the Pale Tree." Iedreth whispered beneath her breath.

"Iedreth, I have to thank you, in a way." Aisling said absent mindedly. Iedreth's gaze snapped up, unsure of what the girl meant.

"If the Count hadn't stumbled upon you... well, I'm not sure how long it would have been before I'd really seen the truth. But... I think it would have been a long time. You saved me endless bouts of pain. For that alone, I will tell you something that I was told not to tell you."

Iedreth's ears perked up despite herself. She looked inquisitively at the peach sylvari, but saw nothing to indicate that she was trying to trick her. Her face was impassive.

"The Count's dark hunt." She began, her voice low, dark. "The corruption, he sees you turning many Sylvari to nightmare." She hesistated, as if unsure. " But more than that. His dark hunt, it ends with you taking over as the Grand Duchess. He's had a vision that soon, Grand Duchess Faolin is going to disappear. Many will try to take her position in the court. But none will be able to stand against you."

Iedreth felt as though the breath had been knocked out of her. Whatever tears that had been welling in her eyes spilt over, trailing down her cheeks, her eyes were wide in shock. A hand was clutched to her heart, as if it were going to beat right out of her chest. Aisling looked on at Iedreth impassively, as if she had merely been speaking of the weather.

"Of course," Aisling said, turning away from Iedreth for the final time. "The Knight of Malice has... _other_ , plans."

...

Whoo, finally an update! I have been sitting on this chapter a few days, I really just haven't had time to write! But, I'm glad to say I've completed this chapter and will be starting another this weekend, so stay tuned! Don't worry, we should see some resolutions here soon ;) And to my reviewer, Szallejh, I'm still working with my asura personalities, Although I feel that in Hiami's case, she's a little more... not airheaded, but distractable? Still intelligent of course, but she perhaps had one too many brawls as a trainee... ah well. She'll have to prove her worth yet!

Enjoy!


	8. Decampment

Purpose, Chapter 8: Decampment

...

"I'm not sure you've thought this through all the way." Hiami told Kairith, eyeing him specutively. Kairith didn't reply, his eyes focused instead on the outside of Briarthorn Den, an area of the dense foliage and thorns showing a slim outline of the courtiers inside, awake, talking in low voices. Kairith's ears perked up, listening for any signs that Iedreth might be there.

But still... He could almost sense it. He just had this nagging feeling. She was here.

And so was he.

"There are a lot of your kind in there." She remarked in a quiet voice, peeking over the ledge. "A lot darker looking. And aggressive. They look pretty theatrical actually, with all the delibrate darkness, thorns, and sullen attitudes." Kairith turned to the diminuative asura.

"You don't have to do this, you know." He suggested, unsure of what her true motives might be. She quirked an eyebrow at him.

"Of course I do." She replied, hopping down from the stump she was using to boost herself over the ledge. "Despite being a traveller, a warrior, I'm also a very intent researcher." Kairith's browed pulled together in confusion.

"Researching what, exactly." Kairith asked suspiciously. Hiami shrugged, her pink eyes scanning the area thoughtfully.

"I am from the college of synergetics." She explained again, her tone analytical. "Most would understand us to be the most _theoretical_ of the three schools, having our focus be mostly on magical metaphysics and things like thurmaturgic calculus, wherein equations have a philisophocal elucidation, but ultimately can be processed abtrusively." She paused, realizing the sylvari did not understand anything she was relaying to him. She sighed, scratching her head.

"Anyway, That's the mathematical portion of the college." She finished. "But there is more to synergetics than theory and equation. The word itself derives of relationships. Cooperation. The act of coming together." She pointed to the nightmare Sylvari speaking with one another.

"That is what I'm studying. How various creatures across Tyria, regardless of race, orientation, gender or otherwise, can interact, form relationships, business or pleasure, or how their social structure works. Your dynamics as Sylvari fascinate me, which is why I'm in Caledon forest at all. But, I came across your tiff with the guardian sylvari, and I couldn't pass up a chance to witness the synergetics first hand!" Kairith sighed, shaking his head, but deciding not to ask for any elaboration.

"Alright." He said instead, turning his gaze back to the thorned entrance. "Well, we obviously can't just go storming in there swinging blades." Hiami looked slightly disappointed at this, and Kairith resisted the urge to roll his eyes.

"There are far too many of them in there to attempt to 'storm the citadel', so to speak." He explained. "And while many of them are just initiates, and thereby have no real experience, there are knights and higher ranking members of the court in there. They are strong, and won't hesitate to capture, or kill us, for infultrating their number."

"Well, I hate to break it to you, plant-man." Hiami replied, peeking over the ledge again. "But I have absolutely no skill at stealthing. I am a warrior. Not a stealthy bone in my body." Kairith looked over her appearance, choosing not to comment on the fact that she, despite her pink eyes and hair, was also donned in hot pink and gray armor, making her a huge target, despite the generous coloring of the forest. She stuck out like a sore thumb. He cleared his throat, not wanting to mention the fact to her, eyeing her greatsword warily.

"No problem." He mentioned, turning around slowly. "I have a friend that should be able to help us both out." Hiami followed his gaze and jumped when a lithe, but tall Sylvari stepped out from the shadows, his eyes a reddish brown hue, staring at the asura warily. She stared defiantly back.

"Kairith." The sylvari spoke, his voice was like the whispering wind.

"Reilly." Kairith acknowledged. "Thank you for meeting us here. We need help."

"Always willing to help a friend." The sylvari replied, his eyes surprisingly warm and pleasant, despite his courtier appearance. Hiami was about to ask, but Kairith shook his head.

"This is Hiami." He said, gesturing to the asuran warrior. "She's going to help me infultrate the courtier den." Reilly looked surprised.

"You must be out of your mind." The man replied, his eyes wide. "Don't you know? Count Meinhard was spotted entering not too long ago. He's extremely dangerous, taken many sylvari captives as of late." Kairith nodded, already having suspected that his once travel companion was also there. It only comfirmed that Iedreth was in there somewhere.

"I can only cast a very basic disguise upon you two." He remarked, looking them over. "Anyone who looks too closely could tell you aren't nightmare. If they cast a counterspell, there's nothing I can do for you." He pulled a scepter from his side and waved it atop the two, causing a strange sensation to overcome them as their appearences changed into those of the nightmare court. Hiami looked at her long, bark like limbs, moving her arms back and forth, observing the glowing red sap and blackened bark.

"This is fascinating!" She said, blinking spasmodically.

"Don't get too used to it." Reilly replied, placing his scepter back on his hip. "It only lasts for an hour, if that. Whatever you are meaning to do, you must complete it within that time, or you could bring the whole den down on the both of you. Do be careful." And without another word, the strange mesmer turned heel and disappeared back into the shadows.

"Alright, thief." Hiami said, turning to the now darkened visage of the sylvari. "What is the plan of attack?"

...

"Excuse me, but might you be _the_ Commander of the Pact? Eileria Cloud?" Eileria tore her gaze away from Bryna unwillingly, to see a meek looking human, donning mail carrier garments, holding a very important looking envelope in his hands, and looking upon her with some sort of awe.

"I am she." She responded, standing to greet the courier. The human stood at attention, sending her a proper salute before handing her the letter, then walking off stiffly, as if he wasn't sure what to do after greeting such a famous sylvari. Eileria shrugged, walking back over to Bryna and sitting, opening the envelope carefully and pulling the letter out, reading it quickly.

"An audience has been granted by the Pale Tree." She commented, folding up the paper and slipping it back into its envelope. The whole gang is already at the Grove." Bryna quirked up an eyebrow at her lover, who suddenly looked nervous.

"What is it, Eileria?" She asked, placing a hand on the mesmer's cheek. "You look nervous.

"I'm afraid that the Pale Tree may not _know_ the information that we're seeking." She confessed, biting her lip absentmindedly. "I don't doubt her, just... it's a lot to take in." She turned her eyes to Bryna.

"Will you come with me? Do you have other duties that you have here?" Bryna blinked in surprise, before laughing.

"Are you kidding? I haven't been doing _anything_ here!" She smiled and tugged Eileria to her feet. "It will be good to see your mother. I haven't seen her since before Zhaitan." Eileria smiled, and taking the large Norn's hand, led her to the waypoint.

"I'm sure she'll be glad to see you."

...

Iedreth meditated in the spare time she accumulated in the cage. Meinhard hadn't come back for her, yet, and no one else had come around to this area either, allowing her to calmly commune with the mother tree. It was soothing, to be able to bask in her presense, even if it was strained and incredibly difficult to keep the concentration up. The nightmare seeped into the edges of her vision, her mind, and she struggled to keep it away from the vision of her mother, whom she tried to draw her strength. She could feel deep inside her something was going to happen soon, and she wasn't going to escape if she didn't try soon. Summoning a clone to try to unlock the cage was a waste, considering the key was on the Knight of Malice's hip. She couldn't seem to budge any part of the cage, and gave herself many more scratches from trying. Meditating calmed her, at least, and made it so she felt like, should she be given the oppurtunity, she could effectively escape the nightmare's clutches, and find her way back to Kairith.

Footsteps broke her out of her solice, and she cracked her eyes open slowly, feeling a dense weight fall upon her heart when she saw the Count standing outside her prison, holding a key and eyeing her specutively.

"Meditation? In here?" He shook his head. "It does you no good to try to commune with the Pale Tree here. You'll only suffer worse in the end." Iedreth didn't reply, instead shifting herself to the back of the cage, knowing he would have to reach in to grab her out, making him, for a moment, vulnerable. She kept her face neutral as he placed the key in the lock, turning it only a bit before laughing.

"I'm not as easy to fool as Kayle, dearheart." He remarked, watching as her eyes widened. "Now, do try not to make this harder than it needs to be. We have a lot of work to do in a short period of time. I can't have you getting _too_ damaged." He clicked the lock off and swung the door open, waiting precisely in front of the gate, smirking. She blinked, not moving from her place in the back of the cell.

"Come now, let's go."

"No." The Count raised his eyesbrows in amusement.

"Now now, Iedreth, don't make this difficult."

"I'm not coming with you." She stood her ground, crossing her arms in front of her. "You may do whatever you want to me, but you will _never_ turn me to nightmare." She turned away from the Count, and she heard him growl in frustration. She waited for him to take the bait, but instead, she heard a second set of footsteps approach, and she turned, her heart nearly dropping to her stomach when she saw the Knight of Malice standing there, smirking wickedly.

"She's ill behaved." She commented, her barbed hand lain on her whip at her hip. "You need her out of the cage, no?" Meinhard shrugged, giving the sylvari a stern look.

"Do not mark her face." He said, and the Knight rolled her eyes, unlatching the whip from her hip and allowing it to flow loose. Iedreth turned her body into a crouch, watching the edge of the whip carefully. The knight leered at the white Sylvari before cracking the whip, winding it around Iedreth's wrist. Iedreth hissed at the pain and the flowing sap, but ignored it as best she could, instead grabbing the whip with both hands, and lunging out of the cage, using the whip to take out both courtier's legs from beneath them.

"You wretch!" Kayle screeched, scrambling to her feet and bolting after the mesmer, who had already blinked away, trying desperately to lose the two courtiers. She took odd turns, purposely ducking through thorns and brambles, trying to remember the route to the exit. She exited a particularly thick thorn brush, her cheeks nicked in places and arms bleeding sap, when she saw the toxic green eyes and knew that whatever he _had_ planned, was no longer in effect. She scrambled to double back but for an armored guardian of his size he was fast. He had his arms locked around her waist before she had even gotten a few feet.

"I see you damaged your face." He said, his voice calm. But Iedreth felt cold, and knew whatever was going to happen now was going to hurt. It was the calm before the storm.

She felt his tongue run along a cut on her face and she shuddered, trying to punch him, her arms and legs flailing. She felt his fist sail into her rib cage and she took a gasping breath as he deposited her onto the ground unceremoniously, circling her as a predator would prey. He licked his lips, and she watched him, her eyes never leaving his face.

"I did warn you that it would be worse for you if you attempted a second escape, dearheart." He sounded irritated, but also amused, as if it were a game to him.

"Of course, now that I know you a little better, I entirely expected you to try to escape again." She felt the kick to her stomach before she'd even had time to process that he'd moved, and she crunched herself inward, arm wrapped around her slowly bruising bark, gasping for air. "It only makes it more fun for _me_ I'm afraid."

He knelt down and forced her to look him in the eye, her eyes defiant despite the pain. He scoffed, instead grabbing the bundle of vines on her head and yanking, pulling her to a stand. She shifted and rammed her leg up to kick him, but he caught her leg mid kick, sending her off balance and tumbling onto her back. He held onto her leg, placing a finger close to the cut she'd received from a courtier upon her arrival. She watched in horror as he took a small knife, no larger than her hand, with a dark green substance on the blade, and ran it along the wound, sending a hot burning pain running through her veins. She bit her tongue, trying desperately not to scream, dug her hands into the dirt and squinted her eyes shut, but the Count wasn't through with her yet.

"So defiant." He commented, circling her again. "So much _fight_ in you. Yes... I can see the strenth. You are destined to serve a great purpose." He shifted his weight and Iedreth shuffled back, trying to move as far away from the Count as possible, gripping her now festering leg.

"But I know physically..." He said, drawing closer to her and leaning in to her face, his eyes filled with mirth. "I will never be able to break you by hurting you physically. No... your mind is too strong. You need... _convincing_.

Iedreth's vision blacked out, and she found herself walking aimlessly amongst the dark, her heart hammering in her chest and her hands shaking as she panicked, not knowing where she was, or how she'd come to be there. She felt unease as she wandered, the darkness never changing, the only light the pink glow of her veins. It was eerily silent in the darkness as well, and she felt a coldness wash over her as she walked, unable to stop herself.

"Where... am I?" She said aloud, her voice echoing as she walked, as if she were in a cavern.

 _You are with me, child._

Iedreth gasped, stopping cold, her heart hammering.

"Mordremoth." She whispered, turning around slowly to face the red eyes the glowed fiercely, disembodied and bright.

 _Your mother has done well to try to keep you from me, child._ The dragon continued, its voice soothing like a lullaby. _But one such as yourself cannot truly be cut off from their father. Their creator._

Iedreth took off running, not knowing where she would go, but anywhere would be better than listening to the dragon. But it would seem as if she were running on thin air, as the eyes merely followed her, the voice in her ear.

 _Join me in Maguuma, my child._ It whispered. _You belong here, with the rest of your brothers and sisters. We await your arrival. Do not be afraid._

But she _was_ afraid. She knew, deep in her heart, whatever the Count had meant her to see while under the effects of his poisoned blade, this was not it. Instead of seeing the nightmare, she was seeing a dragon. He hadn't opened her up to understanding his own darkness. He'd forced her vulnerability before a creature of such magnitude she wasn't sure she would ever escape. Until it was dead.

She continued to run, her limbs screaming in protest, screaming desperately for release, for her to stop. They didn't recognize the danger as she did. She forced herself on through the darkness, but it didn't stop the terror growing in her heart, and the red eyes continued to multiply until she was surrounded. She skidded to a halt, sliding onto her hip and crying out, her eyes clenching shut.

 _Dear child._ The soft voice continued. _You cannot resist. It is your destiny._ Iedreth opened her mouth and let out a piercing scream.

...

The grove bustled about with a flourish of color. Sylvari of all shapes, sizes and colors clustered in groups, speaking in low tones, some laughing, some serious. Eileria took Bryna's hand and tugged her towards the elevator pod, where she spotted some familiar faces, waiting patiently for her arrival.

"Boss!" Braham and Rox said together, their eyes meeting to laugh. Eileria smiled at both of them, and Braham looked to Bryna, his eyes a little wider than usual.

"Bryna Cloud?" He asked, his voice colored in suprise. "Didn't think I'd see you here." Bryna smiled, gently tugging Eileria closer to her.

"Leria asked me to come." She replied, her eyes gentle as she looked down at the tall Sylvari. "I've heard you have been busy, Braham. You do the Norn proud." Braham's ears flushed slightly, and he coughed into his hand.

"Thank you." He answered, bowing his head slightly. Rox looked between the two, her eyebrows quirked up in confusion. Bryna smirked, ruffling the redheaded norn's hair.

"Braham was a sparring partner of mine when he was younger." She said, her eyes crinkling fondly. "I went on to fight Zhaitan with the commander here," She continued, pushing on Eileria's arm slightly. "And he continued his training with his father. It has been quite some time since then."

Rox nodded and turned her green eyes to the human mesmer that walked up, her blond hair shimmering in the golden light.

"Commander!" She exclaimed, grasping Eileria's arm enthusiastically. "And Bryna! Good to see you, truly!"

"And you, Kasmeer." Bryna answered, bowing her head slightly. Kasmeer beamed, then turned to Eileria.

"We're going to wait down here, so you can converse with the Pale Tree in private." She said, gesturing towards the group. "I think it will make things easier to discuss. Also, Majory sends her regards." Eileria looked surprised.

"You've spoken to her?" She asked, her eyes wide. Kasmeer nodded.

"Yes, I ended up missing the funeral but... I did get to spend some time with her. She will be rejoining us again soon, don't worry." She seemed sad beneath her cheerful exterior, but Eileria did not comment, knowing that times were only going to get harder if what she suspected was true.

"Alright." She said, clasping Bryna's hand. "We'll be back soon.

...

I wanted to do more in this chapter, but it took a turn I wasn't really anticipating. Ah well, hopefully the next chapter will have everything we need to keep the story going! Enjoy!


	9. The Route to Freedom

Purpose, Chapter 9: The Route to Freedom

...

The Omphalos chamber was ever as elegant and green and beautiful as Eileria could remember. The fragrances coming off the blooms were nearly intoxicating, and she found herself closing her eyes, inhaling, her mind taking her to a time before she'd become the commander. Before she underwent the changes she had. Before she was more than just a valiant, barely waken from the dream. She had fond memories of her mother, and of this place, her mouth pulled into a frown at the thought. She'd been away more often than she'd been home. She truly _did_ miss the blessed source, but it was... difficult, to stay too near the grove. Too many unpleasant memories, and too many people in need of her help, her wisdom, her guidance. She stole a glance at her lover, who stood serenly at her side, her broad shoulders squared and face calm, neutral. She took a deep breath, stepping forth towards the glowing avatar of her mother.

The avatar of the Pale Tree smiled widely, her serene light glowing warmly from her corner of the chamber, her arms held out wide as she greeted her wayward child.

"Oh, my dear one, it is truly good to see you again." Eileria leaned into the Pale Tree's embrace, her arms wrapping around her gently, before stepping back and basking in the warm presense of her mother. Bryna beamed at the Avatar, who gleamed back her own smile in return.

"And you as well, love of my child." She said, drawing the tall Norn into her embrace as well. "Eileria glows when you are with her. It brings me great joy to see her so happy." Bryna's blush made Eileria chuckle, and the Pale Tree smiled, turning slightly so she could see both Adventurers.

"I take it this is more than a social call, dearheart." The Pale Tree said, her wide eyes knowing. "Please, let us speak freely." Eileria nodded, the tension returning in increments.

"There have been many changes in the past year, mother." Eileria began. "More and more I'm worried that we reach an impasse that we may not be able to overcome. There have been disturbing occurances around Tyria, many that require vast amounts of attention from the Pact, and by extension, myself." The Pale Tree nodded.

"It would explain why you've been away so long." She replied. "Please, tell me more about these disturbing occurances."

"I'm sure you've heard of the attacks on the Fort's in Gendharren, as well as the strange outcropping of soundless sylvari that seem to go mad and disappear, often taking others with them." The avatar nodded and Eileria continued. "I won't sift too deep into details, but it led me to discoveries of some things, and I wanted to run them by you to see if you knew... If you had answers." She paused, seeming to tumble over her words.

"Please, do not fret, child." Her mother said softly, touching her shoulder. "You are free to voice all of your thoughts with me." Eileria glanced at Bryna, who smiled at her encouragingly and she took a deep breath, continuing.

"I had a vision, mother." She said softly. The Pale Tree's avatar blinked, looking slightly intruiged. "You were a very prominent figure in this vision.

"Oh my, do tell." The avatar spoke, her interest peaking.

"We used an Asuran device... one that we think Scarlet may have used. It showed me this vision. I saw it all. The eternal alchemy. I saw you at the center. A lot of it was hard to understand, and I still don't get most of it."

"You could have been seriously hurt, or gone mad, Eileria." The Pale Tree reprimanded. "Though I know you to be strong, I still care deeply for you and worry. It is strange, these things you see."

"I agree, though I have no intention of trying again." She replied, and the avatar's expression relaxed.

"Like I said, I didn't understand too much, but I did note that you were the epicenter of the vision, no matter where I turned, or how I viewed it." The Pale Tree appeared troubled.

"You do have to remember, dearheart." Her mother began slowly, her voice soft, with an edge Eileria had not heard before. "I stand between you and the greatest darkness that you have ever, _will_ ever know." Eileria tilted her head.

"Mother?" She asked, her curiousity overwhelming. The avatar floated off to the side, overlooking the busy grove.

"Some of my children," She said softly, "Reject the protection that I offer. It leaves them... vulnerable. One would say, weak. I try, and I shield you and your brothers and sisters as often as I can." She looked sad, and Eileria reached out a hand to touch her shoulder.

"You speak of dragon corruption?" Eileria guessed, remembering Zhaitan and his minions, none of whom were sylvari. The protection from corruption was a gift of the Pale Tree herself. Eileria knew from experience that a sylvari who died to Zhaitan or his ilk, would not fall to the same fate as the risen, instead returning their spirit to the dream, a reprieve for their siblings and dear mother. The Pale tree's eyes shimmered in the light, but looked troubled.

"Yes." She replied. "However, this is... this was in the past. Mordremoth... his corruption is far more powerful against you, my children, than that of Zhaitan. As the undead dragon could warp the humans, charr, asura... so can Mordremoth affect you." Eileria recoiled slightly, her thoughts scattering at the admission. She'd heard the dragon's thoughts of course, but they could be ignored. Was he merely beginning his probing? Should she fear turning? Bryna placed a strong hand on her lovers shoulder, steeling her.

"So then... Scarlet?" The Pale Tree nodded, her eyes sorrowful.

"I believe she opened up her mind to the dragon, thinking... well, I cannot truly speculate. But she allowed the Dragon through the cracks in her willpower. You should be very wary, and try not to follow in her footsteps."

Eileria nodded, leaning into Bryna slightly, allowing the Norn to steady her.

"I am strong willed, mother." She finally replied. "I will not allow the Dragon to take control of my thoughts." The Pale tree nodded, looking over briefly at her guard.

"Lochin, please fetch Niamh." She asked the warden, who stood stoicly on guard. "Quickly if you please. I must speak with her." The warden bowed deeply and took the pod down, leaving just the three of them in the Chamber.

"Mordremoth has reached full awakening, then." She murmured, her eyes serious and trained on her child's face. "Tell me everything. What have you seen?"

"It is as in the dream as it is in Tyria." Eileria remarked. "Vines attacking waypoints. Whisper's in our heads to go to Maguuma. Attacks of Sylvari against their brethren. Attacks on the forts." She paused. "I would reccomend not trying to go it alone. I suggest we seek the council of the other world leaders." The Pale Tree nodded thoughtfully, her eyes thoughtful.

"Indeed, child. A summit then. I could host it here, in the grove. Allow the leaders to converge here, discuss the severity of this threat. Who would you plan to invite?" Eileria turned to Bryna.

"The leaders of each race. I'll speak with my friends and ask what they think is best." The Pale tree smiled at the pale sylvari, wrapping her arms around her gently.

"Go then, I will stay in contact with you, child." She beamed at the two, her eyes gentle.

"It truly was good to see you both." Eileria blew her mother a kiss, and Bryna bowed deeply, and the two embarked upon the elevator below.

...

Iedreth's scream carried over into real time, and her panic did not abate as she shot into a sitting position, nearly hitting the Count in his head, had he not quickly moved back, his eyes perplexed. If he was unused to the screams of those encountering the nightmare, it was obvious. Iedreth's eyes were wild, her breaths quick and her whole body trembling. All she could do was shudder in tearless sobs. She lay her head in her hands, allowing the terror to slowly ebb away. The dragon had wrapped it's tendrils against her mind so tenderly, trying to seduce her, to change her, to warp her. It had taken every bit of her willpower to continue to run as she had, looking for any escape to the Dragon's murmurs.

The Count recovered quickly, grasping her arm firmly and pushing her against the harsh bark of a gnarled tree, holding her against it with his forearm, effectively keeping her both standing, and immobile.

"Do you see the problem, little one?" The courtier asked, his voice stoic, calm. Iedreth's eyes were spinning, not settling, her head still scrambled with voices, distracting her every moment, the steady thrum of her heart ringing in her ears. "Do you see why it is unnatural, to follow the teachings of a creature that is not a sylvari? Especially ones that cause mayhem to the other races?" He leaned in, his eyes close to her own, trying to force her to look at him. Her eyes slowed, eventually meeting his, though, seemingly looking past him, as if seeing something more terrifying than he could ever have shown her. He leaned back, confused.

"Are you shell-shocked, dearheart?" He asked. "Do you not know what to make of this 'dream' you've had?" Iedreth blinked, her eyes hardening.

"You know _nothing_." She replied, her voice raspy from screaming. "You don't even know... You are so enraptured by your nightmare..." The dragon's red eyes seemed to follow her, making her shudder beneath the Guardian's gaze. "There are more terrifying things out there than what you advocate. I will _never_ turn to nightmare." She blinked off her daze, setting her shoulders and lifting her chin defiantly.

"Torture me all you like, but I will not allow you to warp me. My mother speaks the truth. And regardless of _who_ wrote Ventari's tablet, what their race is, or _anything_ relating to it..." She paused, her eyes narrowing at the Courtier. "The moral code is strong. It speaks of true strength, of kindness. Of goodness. What you... what the nightmare court does... It's evil. There's no other explanation for it." Meinhard laughed, sending a cold chill through Iedreth. He seemed amused by her little admission.

"Fight it all you like, little flower." He spoke softly, coming close to her ear as she struggled helplessly against his stony grip. "But the nightmare always shows the truth. Sometimes, you just need a little time for her to grow."

...

Kairith and Hiami tiptoed quietly to the entry point at Briarthorn den, the inside murmers becoming louder as they drew nearer. Kairith caught a few words, like "pale sylvari" and "Nightmare poision" and "Count Meinhard", confirming yet again that he was most certainly in the right place. He turned to Hiami.

"Alright," He said quietly, glancing at the courtiers every so often to be sure no one had noticed them yet. "Since I can stealth around, I think it would be easiest if I scouted the camp to find Iedreth." Hiami nodded, the strange dark bark of a stolen Sylvari's visage nearly confusing him. He shook his head, sighing.

"You try to keep the courtiers distracted. It shouldn't be hard. Get them talking about the nightmare or their latest conquest and I'm sure they won't _stop_ talking." He said bitterly. Hiami quirked a brow but made no comment, instead hauling her greatsword off her back and tossing it into a thick brash of foliage, earning a scandalized look from the thief.

"What're you-"

"That sword is an Asuran crafted greatsword." She replied nonchalantly, shrugging. "Your kind may be naive, but they are also curious, and thus, perceptive. They will no doubt notice an issue immediately if I were to traipse through lugging it around as if I owned the place." Kairith nodded, not having really thought about it. Come to think of it, most courtiers seemed to fashion their weapons from their surroundings, vines and thorns for blades, creating effective, if not aesthetic, tools of pain. Indeed, a sword made by any other creature, not of Sylvari origin, would likely be cast away in preference for something made by their own countenance. Prideful.

"Try not to get yourself killed then." He said awkwardly. "Courtiers are, as you said, perceptive."

"I'm sure that I will manage." She replied flippantly. He rolled his eyes. For some reason, he had no doubt. He walked up close to the thorns, and allowed one of the courtiers to catch sight of him.

"Who goes there?" An average height sylvari asked, his dark armor glowing slightly in the darkened atmosphere. Kairith narrowed his eyes.

"A fellow disciple of nightmare." He rasped his voice, adding a hint of malice to the edge. He gestured to the disguised asura behind him.

I've brought an initiate. I have buisness to attend to, but perhaps she could benefit from the nightmare's course through this stronghold." The sylvari looked slightly taken aback, but to Kairith's relief, not suspicious. He whispered a spell and the vines curled inward, allowing them passage into the heart of the den.

Not much attention was paid them as they entered, the thorns closing out behind them silently. Most of the courtiers seemed to already be in conversations themselves, or standing boredly against the walls, twisting plant-like daggers and whips in their hands. Kairith thanked the Pale tree that the asura were a smart race. He nodded sharply at the guard who'd allowed him entry, and snapped his fingers, earning an indignant glance from the asura, who grudgingly stepped close to him.

"Don't stray too far." He told her, his eyes conveying another meaning. She grinned, her smile too manic for a normal sylvari, but just the right amount of manic not to arouse suspicion. He nodded curtly, and walked briskly towards the curling path in the den, leaving the asura to her own devices.

Turning the corner, he scanned the faces around him and made sure no one was looking his way when he stealthed. It would be easy to detect for someone like Meinhard, but anyone of less skill would likely skip right over him and not even know he was there. He was counting on that. Courtiers were vain, and often did not pay as much attention to their surroundings, something he as a thief had taken advantage of on many an occasion. He passed a few courtiers as he submerged himself further into darkness, but they didn't seem to notice his presense, or react to the strange warping of space that occured while stealthed. He passed many cages, but they all seemed to be empty, something strange, considering the courtiers were constantly kidnapping Sylvari... He didn't pause to think on it too much.

It seemed to get even _darker_ as he passed further into the den, and he was starting to be concerned that it was a never ending maze when he heard low, broken breathing and light sobs. His breath hitched in his throat, and he darted around the corner, watching a bright pink glow emanate from behind a spherical thorn cage, a pale sylvari trapped inside.

"Iedreth!" His voice sounded strangled coming from his throat, and he dropped to his knees before the cage, ignoring the sharp pain of the thorns as he reached an arm into the cage, reaching towards her. Her pink eyes, glowing dimly in comparison to her lovely pink veins, narrowed slightly at him, but she did not come closer. In fact, she barely acknowledged him at all, other than the intense stare. It took Kairith a moment to realize she could not see him. He cursed beneath his breath, reaching down onto his belt for a match and a small torch.

The darkness seemed to consume the light, almost as if it were a never-ending abyss, but he held it close to his face, allowing her to see his face. She looked at him in confusion, and he realized with chagrin that she didn't recognize him in his disguise.

"Iedreth, it's me." He said slowly, relaxing his arm but not withdrawing it. "We're going to get you out of here." She tilted her head slightly, her breath steady, but her face still wary.

"Please Iedreth. It's me, Kairith." She scanned his face, before she seemed to freeze, her eyes locking with his, staring into his very soul, his eyes pleading with her. She blinked, and her face seemed to melt into happiness, tears springing into her eyes as she closed the gap between them, grasping his hand, interlocking fingers, as if there were no tomorrow, and she couldn't bear to let go. She reached a hand through the thorns, and touched his face, so lightly he almost couldn't be sure she was touching him, and tears welled in her eyes as she stared at him.

"Oh Kairith!" Her voice broke, and a low sob broke in her throat. "I'm so glad you're okay!"

Kairith laughed breathlessly. She was being held by the Nightmare Court and she was worried about _him_.

"Yes, I'm okay." He said lowly, leaning into her hand. "But you..." He glanced at her. He could tell she was hurt. He couldn't tell how, or what had been hurt. But he could tell by her posture, her eyes.

He felt white hot anger rush through him.

"Stand back, Iedreth, I'm going to get you out of there."

"These thorns are resistant to fire, and blade." She admonished, her eyes wide. "You'll need the key to open it. The Knight of Malice has it."

"Where can I find her?" He whispered, gripping her hand harder. He didn't want to leave her here.

"She roams around, there's a clearing beyond here, she... she takes her victims there." She didn't seem to want to say more, so he squeezed her hand, reaching back into his belt and pulling forth a small dagger.

"If anyone comes for you... use it." He said, his tone stern. She took the blade hesitantly and nodded, her wide pink eyes trained on him.

"Be careful Kairith." She said, her voice wavering. "She's strong."

"I'll be back for you soon Iedreth." He paused, before letting go of her hand and sliding it back out, reopening his wounds. "Just hang on."

Despite everything, Kairith was surprised to see her smiling at him.

"I'm so glad you came, Kairith." She wiped away her tears with her arm, and with a deepened resolve, Kairith disappeared further into the darkness, seaking the holder of Iedreth's freedom.

The darkness seemed to fade into a dim light as he rounded corner after corner, coming across no one, and nothing, as he traipsed about the halls, trying to find someone who could point him in the right direction. Luckily enough for him, he found the Courtier, alone, just where Iedreth said she'd be.

The Knight turned, her narrow eyes nearly like slits as she observed the thief, her posture tense and face ridden with suspicion.

"What are _you_ doing back here?" She leered, her hand already on the hilt of her whip. "I thought I told those imbeciles to keep everyone out of this area." Kairith wasn't sure whom she was speaking of, but the mention of other courtiers gave him a time limit. He glanced at the keyring on her belt.

"I don't think we've met." He began, his voice dark as he shadow stepped, his posture lethal as he circled her. "Though, I don't think that matters much. You have something I need." She laughed, a crude sound, but Kairith didn't relax his position. He knew all too well, too much experience, that courtiers used things like laughter to try to surprise their prey. He had no intention of becoming prey. Today... he was the predator.

His strike was like lightening, quick, effortless, blinding. The Knight of Malice hardly had a chance to draw her weapon before the dagger was lodged in her abdomen, causing her to screech in agony. She dropped to the ground, but Kairith did not draw closer. She would use any distance he closed between them to try to kill him, this he knew. He watched her seethe instead, watching warily as she rose and drew her whip.

"You'll pay for that." She said, her voice as cold as ice. She flicked her wrist, the whip following like the strike of a snake, but Kairith dodged, kicking out his leg and sending her toppling off balance. She cried out, her teeth gritting, and she forced herself to her feet, sheer wratch flashing in her eyes.

"I will _not_ allow you to make a fool out of me!" She flicked out the whip again, this time slicing open Kairith's cheek, causing him to jump back. She stood, shocked for a moment, before blinking and reassuming her stance.

"It seems your little disguise wore off. Clever one." Kairith glanced down out of habit, and cursed to see that, indeed, the disguise had indeed worn off. His pale bark glowed red, and he felt the familiar feel of leather against his bark. He smiled, melding into the shadows.

"Finally." He taunted her, watching as she turned left and right, unable to see him as he circled her. "It's awfully stifling to run around pretending to be a pretensious creature all the time." She snarled and struck out randomly with her whip, missing him completely. She was tense, and Kairith could tell the blood loss was getting to her, as she seemed to sway on her feet.

"All that hatred... pride... it must be so exausting." The Knight's ears twitched and her whip was sent out again, missing him, but just barely. Time to stop playing.

"Our mother would be ashamed." The responding growl was animalistic as the prideful knight leapt towards his voice, running straight into his dagger, her eyes wide and her mouth open wide.

She dropped to the ground, unmoving, and Kairith reached down, grabbing the keyring off of her belt and shaking his head sadly, with pity in his eyes.

"Perhaps if you hadn't let the nightmare into your heart, sister." He closed her eyes, and turned away, heading back in the direction that Iedreth was being held.

...

I forced myself to finish this, the ideas have been sitting in my head for so long! I will be able to continue this this weekend, so be on the lookout for another update! I hope you are all enjoying the story so far! 3

Until next time!


	10. Convergence

Purpose Chapter 10; Convergence.

...

Hiami wasn't sure how long it was going to take the thief to free his little female comrade, but she was starting to hope it would be sooner than later.

It had already been forty-two minutes, nonwithstanding, her conversing with the nightmare courtiers had been fascinating, as well as educational, she had plenty of data to bring back to Rata Sum, but now she was slightly concerned that they were going to blow their finely drawn cover, and the sylvari were beginning to become suspicious, eyeing her and her strange mannerisms from across the chamber warily. She was itching to get her greatsword back, and she didn't like being weaponless, a calculation she'd neglected to account for when agreeing to infultrate the Nightmare Court's haven. Alas, she stood, defenseless, glowering at any courtier that looked her way, in an attempt to dissuade them asking her any questions.

Where was that _thief_?

She grumbled beneath her breath and crossed her arms, trying to come up with some way to entertain herself while she waited. Her eyes were pulled to a corner of the center opening, where the Courtier she'd seen defeat the thief, randomly appeared as if from thin air. Her arms dropped to her side and her mouth gaped open. How did he _do_ that?

"I'd shut that if I were you, sapling." One of the courtiers admonished, watching her face. She popped her mouth closed and turned away from the reddish hued sylvari, watching the Count walk into the hallway that the thief had left down some time ago. She had a feeling he was about to run out of time. She sighed, turning again to the reddish sylvari.

"You, do you have any greatswords?"

...

Kairith reached Iedreth's cell quickly after killing the Knight of Malice, and he selected the key, opening the thorns and nearly being knocked over when Iedreth lunged into his arms, grasping him around his middle tightly, her eyes flowing with fresh tears.

"Alright, we have to go, Iedreth." He said gently, placing a finger beneath her chin and lifting, so he could force her to look him in the eye. "We're not out of the clear yet. And we have to pick up a friend." Iedreth nodded, choosing not to ask abou the friend. That could come later. After they had escaped the dark nightmare court den. She went to follow him, but heard a resounding _crack_ before an excruciating amount of pain shot through her leg, making her yelp and crumple to the ground, clutching her leg in bewilderment. Kairith spun around, eyes wide and rushed to her side, careful not to touch her and cause more pain.

"Where, where did it break?" He'd heard the snap. He was not so young as to not know what that meant. Whatever had snapped, it wasn't going to be an easy fix. He had a feeling it was her ankle, and he forced himself to look at it, cringing slightly when he saw the odd angle and the swelling around the skin.

"It hurts. I can't walk." Her voice was so small, so pained, and Kairith felt his heart plunge in fear.

"It's alright, we're getting you out of here." He said, more to himself than to Iedreth. He scooped her up, hauling her, bridal style, into his arms. She wrapped her arms around his neck, resting her head against his chest, her body trembling from the shock. He adjusted her slightly and began to run, looking for the narrow path he'd spotted where there was a break in the foliage. He could set her there, hidden, while he retrieved the little disguised Asura that he'd tugged along with him, and then return and they would escape through a weakened edge of the clearing. He could hear footsteps coming their way and he grit his teeth, frustration evident on his face. Could nothing go smoothly?

He ducked into a small thicket, shielding Iedreth's body with his own, pulling some of the foliage down to block her white skin, and pink accents. He held a finger to his lips, but Iedreth did not need to be told, her eyes wide and breath seeming to have stopped altogether, her trembling, however, did not cease.

Kairith watched as the very bane of his existance, Count Meinhard, stalked by, looking decidedly perturbed as he completely ignored their presense, seeming distracted by something. Kairith waited until the footsteps faded to pick Iedreth up again, and resuming his jog to the center clearing.

To his surprise, Hiami was _still_ in the clearing, and to his even greater pleasure, was holding a rather lethal looking greatsword, examining it with decidedly trained eyes, her manic expression sending a few of the courtiers walking away from her.

"It's such a strong, thick wood, and these barbs are nearly like metal, they're so sturdy." Kairith edged around the room, suprisingly not drawing stares, as many of the courtiers attention was on the strange "sylvari" examining a courtier greatsword. "And these illumination pods are positively fascinating, what gives them their incandescence?" The courtier, a male with dark mauve skin and brownish armour blinked, unsure of why she was asking him such questions, let alone having the answer to said questions, and shrugged at her.

"Does it really matter?" He asked her, the tone disgruntled. "It will serve it's purpose well enough."

"I'm sure it will." She said, a little ruefully, catching Kairith's eye at the last second. She nodded minutely, and lifted the greatsword carefully, and swinging it experimentally, a toothy grin emanating from her as she felt the balance of the blade.

"You seem to know a great deal about swords." The sylvari replied lamely, his tone slightly intruiged. "What was it you did before joining the nightmare?" The little asura smiled, her teeth slowly morphing into sharp points as her disguise began to melt away. The nightmare courtiers watched in bewilderment as the dark skinned sylvari with heavy, bulky bark armor disappeared, leaving a small, diminuative plate-wearing asura, holding a massive greatsword, in her place. Her pink dreadlocks seemed to quiver in excitement, and she grinned, her eyes wide.

"Well, I have always been an asura," She responded, swiping the greatsword and causing a shallow, but effective cut in the red sylvari, before brandishing the blade against the other scandalized courtiers. "But, you could say I've an eye for good craftmanship." Her moves were elegant, if not deadly, as she cut a bloody swath through the courtiers, all whom were too slow to draw their weapons as she cut each down, her small body moving with a peculiar speed and grace, the greatsword not seeming to be too heavy or too large to use effectively. She swung it as if it were an extension of her very being, and the courtiers scattered, not willing to fight the terrifying small creature.

"Go, I'll be right behind you!" She shouted to Kairith, her pink eyes focused on the incoming court members who were better armed than the initiates, and did not look worried about taking her on. She smiled at them, holding up the greasword.

"Sorry boys and girls, but this asura must bid you farewell, I have research to attend to!" And with a great swing, she launched the greatsword, spinning, towards the courtiers, sending them scattering as she made her escape, sliding under the brambles and shuffling after the two sylvari who had already bolted far beyond Briarthorn Den.

...

"That makes the last of them." Bryna's strides through Divinity's reach were quick, calculated, as she headed directly for the nearest waypoint. Eileria followed beside her, her eyes turned downward and brow furrowed.

"Yes, we should see them all at the summit now." Eileria replied, distracted. Bryna quirked an eyebrow, looking to her love.

"Is everything alright?" Eileria looked up in surprise, blinking.

"Yes, why?"

"You're doing that thing again." Bryna explained, sending a soft smile her way. "Where you take on all your worries at once." Eileria smiled with chagrin.

"You're right. Its just... I'm relieved, really, I am, to have this all behind us now. But... I have this feeling. Something is... " Her tone was frustrated. Bryna placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. "I have this feeling that this summit is inviting something dangerous into our midst. I'm worried for my mother." Bryna did not reply, her own face wrenched in worry.

"It's neccessary." Eileria continued. "Getting the leaders together is the first step in making this threat of the Elder dragon... well, important." She looked up at Bryna. "Trahearne can't do it on his own, and the pact forces allone won't be enough. This elder dragon is different."

"You are right, love." Bryna replied, smiling gently down at her. "So please, don't worry so much. There will be many soldiers and guards at this summit. You needen't worry about the leaders. They are strong in their own right. You need only worry about getting the support needed to go into Maguuma and stop the Elder Dragon before he truly begins to wreak havoc upon our lands." Eileria nodded.

"You're right. I'm moping. Positive thinking." She exhaled in a gust, putting a grand smile on her face.

"The summit will not be for a week or so... can we spend it home?" Bryna scooped the tall sylvari up, nuzzling her cheek against her own. Eileria's face darkened with a blush, and the norn smiled jovially.

"Of course, it's about time we spend time for just you and me to relax." She smiled. "I know of a really fantastic hotspring..."

...

Kairith didn't stop running into they were well past Morgan's spiral, easily accessible by the Warden camp, before stopping and setting Iedreth down gently on the grass, allowing her a moment to relax so he could assess her injuries. Overall, she didn't look too damaged, she'd been gone less than a day. And yet, her broken ankle and swollen leg where a dagger had torn through her skin was angry and festering, and she had bruises forming around her delicate ribcage. Her face was cut in places, as if she'd tried to push it through a bed of thorns. Her eyes were trained on him, and they were soft.

"Kairith, I will heal just fine." He didn't reply, kneeling down and pulling her into his arms, gently tucking her into him, where she fit perfectly, and he felt her sharp inhale of breath.

"Iedreth." He spoke, his voice low. Iedreth's arms snaked around his back, resting above his shoulders, as she breathed in his scent, closing her eyes. A low throat clearing opened her eyes to meet pink orbs not unlike her own, close to her face observing her with avid curiousity.

"Hello!"

Iedreth leaned back slightly, tilting her head at the asura. She hadn't actually seen one in person yet, though she'd seen a few in the dream. This one was unsual, and so _bright_. Her hair and eyes were precisely the same color of hot pink, and she had three very symmetrical markings on her face, which Iedreth supposed were a very pale grey-pink color.

"Hello." She finally responded shyly, tucking her white vines behind her ear gently. The asura grinned, her teeth sharp and slightly dangerous looking.

"It's nice to finally meet you, Iedreth." The diminuative creature responded, holding out a clawed hand to the white Sylvari. Iedreth took it and shook once, curious at the strange texture of the asura's skin, so different from her own, or Even Kairith's.

"Likewise...?" Hiami smacked her forhead slightly, then smiled sheepishly.

"The name's Hiami, college of synergetics. Warrior extraordinaire. Researcher of Sylvari consanguinuity. The pleasure is truly mine." Iedreth tilted her head.

"Consanguinuity?"

"It's a fancy word for relationship." Kairith interjected, an eyebrow quirked in amusement. "Hiami, thank you. It was kind of you to assist us."

"Not a problem!" She chirped, her eyes wide in delight, her hand wound tightly around her greatsword, which she had grabbed while running out of Briarthorn Den. "You did help me out after all. I gathered more than enough data for my thesis from the dark sylvari. Their dynamic is intruiging, they don't function quite as a conglomerate, and their goals and tendancies do not follow the standard archetype for an organization of their sheer size. It's all so fascinating!"

"Well I'm glad you got what it was you were looking for." Kairith replied, eyeing Iedreth's expression warily. She looked sick to her stomach.

"Indeed. Though I suppose now you are looking for a place to go where you can expect them not to follow you?" She asked, her arms crossing in front of her chest. Iedreth looked at Kairith.

"Do you think they will-"

"I _know_ they will." He growled, his eyes in the distance, towards the Nightmare Court's den. " _Meinhard_ especially does not appreciate when his goals are thwarted. He will try to kidnap you again. By any means necessary." Iedreth's stomach dropped as she recalled the events of her capture, and what little color existed in her face disappeared.

"I have a solution." Hiami offered, her eyes trained on the pink eyed sylvari. "Come with me to Rata Sum. We have plenty of healing technology there, we can assist in making sure your life-mate recovers-" Kairith and Iedreth both blushed heavily. "And I can continue to observe you while I write up my thesis! And of course, you'll be safe from the 'Nightmare Court'; We do have our own brand of troublmakers there however, but they'll pay little mind to you, since, no offense, neither of you do anything particularly flashy." Kairith looked at Iedreth, eyes glancing down at her injured leg. He sighed.

"Alright." He reluctantly replied, making Hiami jump in joy. "But, before you do any more of your... 'research', Iedreth needs to rest."

"Of course! Oh this will be fantastic! I cannot wait!" She squealed and nearly bounced on her heels as Kairth swooped Iedreth up carefully, heading towards the waypoint on their right.

...

Evari felt her ears twitch as the waypoint outside her labratory flashed again, letting off a rather large Charr and a human, both of whom broke off into seperate directions, though not before sending each other dirty looks, and went on their way. She rolled her eyes and turned back to her thermonautic javelin, tweaking at the crystals connecting to the couplers routed through the tip, an attempt at improving the basic spear to create something with a little more kick, something Evari felt the neccessity to do on a daily basis, considering how small she was. Often, even her peers snickered at her, laughing at her and her inventions, which mostly centered around weaponry. She grit her teeth in frustration, knowing her genius often was not seen as such by those not familiar with theoretical crystal energy base, but she still felt that she deserved more credit, she hadn't blown anything up yet.

Though she was really reconsidering it in the case of a particular Counceller that wouldn't let her be...

She brushed her teal braid off her shoulder impatiently, exhaling in a gust and reaching down with steady hands to settle the final crystal she'd found in a neat socket, to which a powerful glow began to emanate from the center of the spear. Her narrow teal eyes widened in glee, and she picked up the weapon, exlaiming "excelsior!" in glee, before her ear twitched and she turned to see a familiar pink asura step off the waypoint pad.

"Evari, a little help here?" Evari gently set her project on the table and waddled over to her sister, a brash warrior and alumni of the college of synergetics, and glanced up to see two sylvari, one holding the other, and her mouth popped open in surprise.

"Who are-"

"Nevermind that right now, Help me clear a spot out. You have really got to stop partitioning perfectly good weapons in an attempt to alleviate your pysche." Evari rolled her eyes, not responding to her sister, instead shifting over her pile of scrap and pulling out a lush rug, usually used when she stayed late at the lab, laying it out in a small section in the corner. She quickly closed both doors leading into the premise around the college, and hit a switch on the wall that shut off the waypoint, making sure no one could get in or out. She then turned to the two Sylvari, taking note of a very infected looking wound on the white one's leg.

"Is Praxx around?"

"No, I don't know why you'd think he'd devote perfectly good time here when he could be hypothesizing degenerative tissue deterioration in his _own_ labratory-"

"Spare me, Evari." Hiami said, rolling her eyes at her small sister. "We all know how smitten he is with you. He doesn't come by to discuss parallel gem conversion on a daily basis just because of your percpicacity." Evari blushed, a dark pink on her dark grey skin, and turned herself away, crossing her arms and offering a grunt in her sister's direction.

"Well at any rate, he isn't here." She replied, coming closer to the two plant-humanoids. "So, who are these two? You can't just bring two strangers into my lab and expect me to say nothing and go about my business." Hiami shrugged, standing up and putting her hands on her hips.

"They're a part of my thesis." She explained, gesturing to them. "I'll go into the details with you later, but for now, the alabaster sylvari needs medical attention. Who _is_ nearby that I can get, that won't cause a fuss or attempt to sabatoge my research?" Everi seemed to think for a moment, before snapping her clawed fingers and smiling.

"I know just the asura, I'll be right back." She scooted off, leaving the two sylvari with the warrior, who sighed and turned back to them.

"I apologize for that, Evari can be quite vexatious for someone of her stature." Kairith shrugged, instead focusing on gently drawing Iedreth's leg out so it was straight, pausing when her face wrenched in pain.

"He had poison on his blade?" Kairith asked, knowing it was Meinhard that had done this to her in the first place. She nodded, pink eyes drawn to his.

"It was meant to draw me into the nightmare." She said in a small voice. "But...it didn't. Something went wrong." Kairith was about to ask for more information when the sliding door opened, and a new asura walked in, trailed by the small Evari, and Hiami audibly groaned.

"Progeny." Came a short, raspy voice, not at all matching the vibrant pink eyes beset upon wide cheekbones and a very severe a-line bob of silver hair. The two sylvari could immediately tell just by the eyes alone that this was Hiami's mother.

"Progenitor." Hiami acknowledged, sending a dirty look to Evari. Evari snickered, earning an admonishing look from her mother, who then waddled over to the two sylvari, tapping Kairith's shoulder and gesturing for him to back away dismissivly. Hiami shifted back a few steps, allowing her mother to observe the festering flesh. The pink eyed asura prodded the flesh and Iedreth winced, trying to hold still as she made her assessment.

"It's infected." She drolled out, kneeling down and pulling at the wound a little. "I'll need to aquire some of my supplies, but I should be able to cleanse out a majority of the infection and secure the wound. Let me see your other injuries." Iedreth hesitated and the asura made an impatient noise beneath her breath.

"Come now, I need to assess _all_ of your injuries if I am to have any chance of rehabilitating you to full operating capacity. You _are_ a mesmer, are you not?" Iedreth's eyes widened, and she blinked, shocked that the asura knew.

"How did you know?" She asked in a small voice as she lifted her shirt, exposing her rib cage to the physician. She took out a small notepad and began to draw a small sketch of the sylvari's anatomy, marking the wounds with little tick marks upon the paper.

"I can sense the deep magic within you." She replied, closing her notepad and stuffing it into her jacket. "I was a talented Elementalist myself before I cultivated these two nuisances-"

"Hey!" Evari and Hiami shouted together, earning a stern look and an eye roll from their progenitor.

"And thus, I can perceive minute aqueducts of magic that lay dormant beneath the temporal layout of the body." She finished, standing up and brushing her coat off. "I suggest you rest some, I will need some time to gather all of the appropriate contrivances necessary to generate a counter-poison, though your other wounds will merely need time to heal." She turned her pink eyes onto her children, who stood by quietly.

"I'll be speaking with _you,"_ she said, pointing to Hiami, "Later. Do not try to disappear." She left the room, and Hiami turned to Evari, her pink eyes almost burning with anger.

"Of all of the asura you could have grabbed, did it _have_ to be our _mother?"_ Evari merely smiled, her teal eyes teasing.

"She always wants to know how you are progressing. I thought I would kill two birds with one stone, or so the saying goes." Hiami growled in frustration, and Kairith shook his head, looking back at Iedreth, who looked as if she didn't know what to think of their situation any more than he did.

...

Another chapter for the docket! Woot! Chapter ten~ So we've made some progress, Iedreth has made her escape from the Nightmare court, and Eileria is working towards the summit, which will show the world just how dangerous Mordremoth is truly becoming. I hope you are all enjoying the story so far. We have a lot of ground to cover! Hope you're ready for the ride~ Until next time!


	11. Ingenuity at It's Finest

Purpose: Chapter 11: Ingenuity at its Finest.

...

Eileria sighed in exhultation as she slipped into the hotsprings in Wayfarer Foothills, her muscles relaxing as the hot water seemed to seep into every fiber of her being, loosening the tightness that wound around her like a coiled snake, and allowing her to let all of her tension seep into the water, as if it were cleansing her of her woes. Bryna waded over, her leather undergarment already soaked, and her hair dripping with steamy water. Her blue eyes were filled with amusement, as she settled on a submerged rock next to Eileria, sighing in relief as she sunk down to her shoulders, her red hair fanning out around her like paint that bled on paper. Eileria shifted and grasped her hand into the Norn's, revelling in the gentle waters.

"This is definitely relaxing." Bryna ran a gentle hand along Eileria's side, sending a shudder through her body as she ran her fingers down and along her leg, slick and soft from the water, and sending a dull heat surging through her body. Eileria shifted slightly, leaning into the touch and clenched her hand on Bryna's thigh, the soft skin slipping beneath her fingers, gravity nonexistant beneath the hot water. Bryna's leg brushed up against Eileria's, and a soft sigh was drawn from her mouth, as she turned, locking her lips with the Norn's, a hand on her cheek. Bryna chuckled when they seperated, drawing the tall Sylvari to sit upon her lap, facing her, as she placed her forhead on her lovers.

"I never get enough of the time I spend with you, Leria." Bryna said softly, her lips brushing the water slightly. "I know soon it will be less and less. The dragons, your new group..."

"They don't hold a candle to you, my love." Eileria said, placing hands on either side of her cheeks. "We've been seperate too long. I want you at my side, forever, for everything." Bryna laughed breathlessly, drawing Eileria closer to her, their chests pressed up against one another.

"I take it you mean then..."

"Yes. I want you to come with me when we assault Maguuma. I need you there. Not just for your stellar resume, either." Bryna rolled her eyes, but smiled regardless, and laid a gentle kiss on the Sylvari's cheek.

"I'd be honored to follow the Pact Commander into battle." Eileria smiled and embraced the norn.

"I'd expect nothing less from Bryna Cloud."

They sat in companionable silence for a while, allowing the water to soak away their fears, their tensions. They listened to the birds as they chirped, the soft sound of the wind rustling against the snowy peaks of the plateau that hid the springs from unwanted eyes. The sky was shifting from a pale blue to a brash pink, and Eileria sighed, lifting herself slightly from the water, and stepping out onto the cold stone outside the spring, shivering as the cold air brushed against her bare body. She heard the shifting of water as Bryna stepped out as well, wrapping a strong, warm arm around the sylvari's body lovingly.

"Come, let us go inside." Bryna said, gesturing towards the cabin set to the side a few feet from where they stood. "We can warm up, and enjoy some hot food before resting for the evening. Eileria smiled up at her love, and hand in hand, they walked to the cabin, where a warm glow emanated.

...

Iedreth rested her body in the strange technological city, but her mind could not rest. So much information assaulted her, and from so many angles, she wasn't sure she would be able to recover enough to process everything. The Nightmare Court. The Dragon. This strange bright city with few plants and many floating cubes, strange creatures walking on their hind legs with faces like cats, which her memories of the dream told her _charr_ ; She was overriden with information, and closing her eyes did nothing but bring it all to the forfront of her mind.

Then there was Aisling. She couldn't help it, her mind wandered to the peach colored sylvari often, wondering how she was doing, if she was okay. She knew that she'd turned to nightmare but... that didn't matter, right? Surely she could be turned back, shown the truth again, allow the dream back into her heart.

Something deep within her told her it wouldn't work like that at all.

She hadn't even realized she was crying until soft fingers wiped them off her cheeks, and ice blue eyes gazed into her own, worry etched in ever plane of his face.

"Are you in pain?" He asked, his voice gentle. She shook her head, wiping the rest of the tears away.

"Not physically, at least not as terrible as before." She replied, her eyes wandering. "I'm just... overwhelmed." Kairith nodded, his blue eyes moving to observe the small asuran sisters, who were tumbling over one another as they adjusted what looked to be a very modified spear, short bursts in conversation here and there added in, but mostly just grunting and one word sayings like "Capacitor" and "Wrench" were thrown around. He didn't bother to try to interrupt them or ask when their mother would return, they didn't seem to notice anything around them, and for now, there was peace, and they could relax.

"Do you want to talk about it?" He asked. "Sometimes talking helps." Iedreth nodded, her eyes drawn to the floor as she drew circles on the smooth concrete.

"I met a young sylvari while I was being held captive." She began, her fingers interlocking and seperating as she spoke.

"She was called Aisling. They had done terrible things to her. She was so broken when I arrived, but there was hope..." She shook her head. "I made an escape attempt with her. We almost got out but... Meinhard caught us just past the exit, and they tortured her into submission."

"They?" Kairith asked, his hands gently pulling hers apart.

"The Count and...the Knight of Malice. The one who held the key to the cage they kept me in." Kairith's face remained in it's grimace as he listened to her. "She'd been torturing her for a long time. I'm not sure exactly how long... but they made me watch after they caught us. She came to see me after, and she'd changed. I almost couldn't believe it was the same Sylvari that I had seen."

"The Nightmare does that." Kairith said. "It tangles itself around your heart and constricts, killing hope, love, truthfullness. Honor." He seemed bitter. "It will never let go once it has taken hold. There is no turning back from the nightmare."

"But surely there is!" Iedreth exclaimed, her heart hurting for her short time friend. "I can't... She can't be like them..."

"They were all like her, at some point." He remarked, his eyes on the floor, his hands gentle around her wrists. "Some were menders. Gardeners. Wardens. Valiants. Brothers. Sisters. It matters not. They could start out being the most caring and docile of creatures, and morph into the deepest shadow of themselves." Iedreth didn't respond at first, her eyes peering at him, though he looked not at her. Then she bit her lip, wondering if it was the right time for the question she wanted to ask. She wasn't sure if there would ever be a right time.

"Count Meinhard... he called you brother." She paused, unsure. "But he didn't say it like you were merely just another sylvari born in his generation... And you said he travelled with you..." Kairith's face turned up, his eyes locking with hers.

"You have to understand something about Adair." He said softly, his eyes faraway. "The Adair I knew. I did not lie when I said we were born moments apart, though him of dusk, and I of night. Our pods were attached, on the same Branch, sewn together by some strange thread of fate. Though we were not twins, many thought us true brothers, seedling sprouts, something of a novelty and yet, unlike the strange twins that had been born before us, of the _same_ pod. We shared parts of our dream. Each was our own, but I saw him. He saw me. And we both saw you." Iedreth's breath hitched slightly. She'd seen Kairith's eyes in her dream, watching her as she ran from the Dragon's tendrils. But she didn't recall the toxic green eyes of the Count.

"I remember _that_ part of my dream very clearly." He continued. "He and I had met back after a period of time where in our dream, we had gone seperate ways. I know now this was meant to forshadow his leaving to the Nightmare. I don't think at the time he realized what it meant. But one thing was for sure. When we encountered you..." He smiled, though it didn't truly reach his eyes.

"We had the same thought. I could see it in his face as he could likely see it in mine. Your glow, your pale, pale skin, the way your eyes shined with innate power. You were something precious. Something worth fighting for. You at first, did not look at either of us. Your eyes were trained far away, and when I looked, when _we_ looked, I saw the destruction that the dragon's laid to Tyria's landscape, to the people. To everything. I turned back to you before Adair had, and you were staring directly at me, your eyes kind, and I felt a swell in my heart that even now, I cannot describe." He stared into her eyes, and she felt her cheeks darken with heat, not having expected him to pour his heart out to her as he did now. She was pleased that he was confiding in her, and chagrined that he held her in such high regard.

"You looked away before Adair looked back, but you never looked at him the way you did me." He seemed almost guilty, and she smiled encouragingly. "But... Then something changed. The dream seemed to speed up, racing towards an end that neither of us were ready for. I remember reaching out to him to pull him up from the strange fractals that the dream had envisioned, but he slipped from my fingers, and woke shortly thereafter." He paused, watching her for signs that she was losing interest. She nodded for him to continue.

"I saw something rising out of the dust of all the destruction. You stood by me and offered your hand. When I stood, before I could process what I was seeing, you opened your lips, and you said, 'You must wake up.'" Iedreth's brow furrowed in confusion.

"But... I wasn't even awake yet." She said, confusion overcoming her. "Right? I just woke not too long ago... How long..."

"It's been about four years now." He replied softly, placing a hand on her cheek. "Each day I never forgot your face. I thought that I had missed you, that you were out and about in Tyria, fighting Zhaitan and his corruption. I joined the Durmand Priory, searching records to try to find anything that could lead me to you. And to think, you hadn't even been born yet!" Iedreth smiled serenely and leaned into his hand, closing her eyes.

"I'm glad I found you, Kairith." She said, her voice wavering slightly. "Do you think... Do you think Meinhard was upset that you had found me first?"

"Undoubtedly." He replied. "Even before the Court, Ada- Meinhard, was very focused on his dream. He searched for you too. If I think back on it... this may even be why he accompanied me to the Norn city. I think he'd hoped he could find you camaflaged amongst the snow."

"Aisling told me something disturbing, Kairith." Iedreth said in a small voice, her eyes wide. "She said that Meinhard had started his dark hunt. It involved me." Kairith's face was serious as he observed her.

"What did she tell you?" He asked.

"She said that... he'd seen... he'd seen _me_ take the place of the Grand Duchess." The thief seemed unable to move momentarily, his whole body stiffening as if it were made of stone. She tensed as well, waiting for his reaction to calm, so he could advise her, tell her what he thought. She didn't want to fear. She didn't want to be nightmare.

But did she even have a choice?

"That won't happen." The venom in his voice was difficult to comprehend, and Iedreth glanced up to see his blue eyes narrowed in anger, and he was shaking, just barely, in rage.

"Kairith?" She squeaked.

"Meinhard works well with words, Iedreth." Kairith said, his voice less venemous, but his posture never relaxing. "He weaves stories, doubts, with words so kind they'd fool anyone into thinking he were honest. What he told Aisling, he likely believed with all his heart. But... One isn't destined for Nightmare. One allows Nightmare to manifest itself in their heart. And just as Adair embraced Nightmare, you can close the doors to your heart from corruption." She sat back, shocked for a moment at his words. Closing their hearts to corruption.

A pair of red eyes seemed to stare at her from her minds eye.

"The Pale Tree." She whispered. Kairith tilted his head, looking at her in confusion.

"What about her?"

"I'm not sure." She replied, more bewildered than she had been before. "But I sense that all these things are linked... I think we're truly safe because of her." Kairith nodded.

"She protects us all." He said sadly. "And yet some of our number betray her."

"Not all intentionally, though." She said, remembering the Soundless. "I think there are more dangerous things to fear than the Nightmare Court, Kairith."

"I hate to interrupt, but I think that you conversation is headed in the general realm of magic consuming Reptilian collasals of the Elder variety." Both sylvari looked up in surprise at the smaller of the two Asura, whose twin teal braids bounced very nearly in time with her body as she observed the two, her brain practically making noise as it whirred.

"Well we can't expect _everyone_ to be incognizant of the imminent threat of the Elder Dragons, Evari." Hiami interjected, her large ears perked up at the conversation, though her pink eyes were still trained on a glowing greatsword she had spread out in pieces on the table. "Not to mention the almost careless exhibition of destruction that is occuring across all of Tyria, albeit mostly in Maguuma." Evari stuck her tongue out at her sister, but turned back to the Sylvari in earnest.

"Have either of you noticed any strange activities centering around a possible Dragon uprising?" Iedreth blinked and glanced at Kairith, who merely shrugged.

"Likely no more than you have."

"Even the smallest of hints can indicate a percussive explosion!"

"I'm not sure I'm following..."

Evari pouted, and Hiami walked over, shifting her sister over.

"Don't mind her. Our progenitor should be back soon with medicines for Iedreth. We're not too far from the College, we should be able to take you there after and you can both get some sleep."

"Hey, this is important-"

"Evari, jeez, don't you ever _quit?"_ Hiami asked in exasperation, earning a small giggle from the white Sylari.

"Not in the conquest of information, dear sister." The teal eyed Asura chirped, crossing her arms indignantly.

"Well your pursuit of information is going to have to wait a bit, progeny." The sisters' mother walked back in, clutching in her arms varying bottles and cases, splaying them over the ground and pushing both of her children out of the way, and sending a curt look in the direction of the thief, who moved out of the tiny asura's way, not wanting to get on her bad side.

"Please do keep your bickering to a low volume while I work on healing the Sylvari." She said, not glancing at either of her children, but seeming to know they were already about to begin to argue with one another. "Or go play somewhere else." Hiami and Evari both stuck their tongues out at one another before lapsing into a tense silence. Pink eyes met pink eyes as the Asuran matriarch looked at the white Sylvari.

"It's going to have to hurt before it gets better." She said ruefully. "But I suppose you are no stranger to pain now, are you?" Iedreth nodded, and the Asura replied in kind, setting to work on fixing up the injured mesmer.

...

The body had been left on the floor to rot, though her eyes had been closed. A scoff found itself from her mouth as she ground her teeth and clenched her fists. If the dream was truly right, would they have found it necessary to murder her? Sure, she held no love for the woman. She'd tortured her day and night, dark and light, awake or asleep, and given her nightmares of her own to destroy her dreams.

But, she'd also opened her eyes to the truth.

How, for so long, had she not thought about the true intentions of Ventari's tablet? Of how it wound itself around them, trying to warp them to exist in a world bound by rules they were not born to follow. She'd been shackled, blinded even, unable to see that they were meant to be _free_. All sylvari. They weren't born to follow the rules of human and his Centaur friend.

She could appreciate that, at least.

She walked forward and drew the whip from her side, latching it to her belt. She wouldn't feel sorry for the knight. Her ego had been her undoing. She traipsed about as if no one would dare stop her.

Well, someone _had._

She turned heel without another glance in the bodies direction, and walked into the courtyard. The rest of the courtiers had scattered, terrified by the Count's bad mood and not interested in getting on his bad side while his temper had flared so, they also wanted not for the blame to be drawn unto themselves.

But she knew exactly who to twist the blame to.

He wouldn't have it of course, but it was the truth.

"Count Meinhard, the Knight of Malice is confirmed dead." She told him, her voice barely infelcted, bored as she reported back to him. His toxic green eyes trained on her like lightening, and she felt nothing. No fear. No submission. Just nothing.

"She was a fool." He barked out, his fury still brewing as he paced. "I warned her well of that years ago."

"She wasn't one to listen to anyone." She replied, picking at her nails. "Now what. Your little prisoner likely isn't even in Caledon forest anymore."

The snarl that emanated from the Courtiers throat almost made her flinch.

Almost.

"I'm well aware of that, initiate." He stopped his pacing, his sudden fury seeming to go out as if doused by a waterfall of water. She looked up at him warily, waiting for his anger to implode on someone.

"I think I'll wait a bit, before pursuing her again." He said, his voice odd. "There are some... other things, that I need to take care of first." He turned heel and disappeared in his usual manner, and the courtyard was left quiet as the dead of night.

Aisling walked to the center and looked directly above her, searching the brambles for answers that they could not give. She had endless patience. She would wait for the building rage in the Count's heart, and she would act then. Iedreth's pale face with wide set pink eyes flashed across her mind and she smiled, the darkness brewing deep within her heart.

...

Another Chapter for the weekend! Quite possibly the last one too, I don't think I'll have time for another one, though I will probably start writing another one soon. I hope you enjoyed it! And as always, feel free to Review and fav/follow! 3


	12. Breaking Down Walls

Purpose: Chapter 12: Breaking Down Walls

...

 **AUTHORS NOTE: Some of the Dialogue will differ from actual Living Story, as I wholeheartedy believe in expanding upon the personality of the characters, and giving them their own flair. Also, thank you to my reviewers, you guys are keeping me going, I love reading that you enjoy the story! Thank you so much! :D**

...

Iedreth streatched her limbs as she woke, the sunlight filtered through textured blue glass that caused glistening rainbow patterns to appear everywhere the light touched. Hiami's personal lab was much roomier than her sister's, and had the necessary accomodations for a guest, though Iedreth for the life of her couldn't imagine why the mats she'd produced were long enough to fit a small Norn. However she hadn't complained, the hospitality the small asura had shown greatly appreciated, though uncomfortable at times, considering she was _always_ watching her and Kairith, taking notes in a rather large leatherbound book, her pink hair bobbing when she would nod to herself. But, Iedreth guessed, this was the cost of being free of the Nightmare court for a time. Her dreams as she'd slept were wrought with bright colors and screaming, and more often than not the past week she'd woken to a pair of blood red eyes, staring right into her very soul.

Kairith remained asleep a few feet from her, face hidden behind his arms. She'd found it quite charming that he slept on his belly, and had caught herself more than once staring at the very angular and sculpted planes of his back, very nearly rolling her eyes at the excitable looks the pink asura kept shooting her.

"It's natural to stare on occasion, you know." Hiami had insisted once, when she'd caught Iedreth sneaking looks at the sleeping thief. "When of course you feel some attraction towards them." Iedreth's face had broken out in an impressive blush, and she'd resolved to try to be sneakier with her staring.

She looked over to the large workbench that Hiami generally worked at, and smiled to see that the diminuative warrior had fallen asleep at her workstation, a screwdriver in one hand and a strange metal contraption in the other. Iedreth had tried to ask about the items on her desk only once. The explanation had made her head hurt, and she decided from thence forth to not bother with the logistics and just assume whatever the asura was working on, it was beyond her comprehension.

She padded lightly over to the large glass pane that stretched several feet across the room, looking down into the city below. Asura of all sizes, shapes and colors bustled about, some stopping to talk to others, but most tugging along large metal pieces or ordering around large golems, looking cross if anyone stepped between them and whatever destination they had in mind. She debated going down to explore a little when she heard a deep inhalation, indicating Kairith was about to wake up.

She fluttered to his side and smoothly crossed into a sitting position beside him, smiling as his sleepy blue eyes met with hers.

"Good morning." She said smiling. He returned her smile and lifted himself up on his elbows, looking at her.

"Morning." He glanced over at Hiami's workstation, and in turn, the asura herself. "It's been a week. I was thinking... maybe we go out for a change of scenery?" She tilted her head at his suggestion. His eyes flickered to the asura.

"It's not that I don't... _appreciate_ everything, but I'm quite tired of being a social experiment." He paused, confused by her sudden grin. "If you're feeling rested enough, I was thinking we could travel to Queensdale. It's a little human suburb outside the city. Far enough from Caledon that we're unlikely to run into an courtiers, and quite some distance from _here_ as well." He cleared his throat and Iedreth giggled, glancing at the softly snoring pink asura.

"I'm not sure I want to be so far from the grove, though." She said thoughtfully. "Does our connection with mother change the further we go?"

"Not really." He answered, sitting up and tugging on a dark linen shirt. "Distance makes little to no difference, though I've only gone as far as the Plains of Ashford. There's further to go, but I've not had any issues feeling her presense even that far out." Iedreth seemed relieved by this and stood, looking towards the window again.

"It will be a relief to begin to get around again." Iedreth commented, absentmindedly running her hand down her arm. "A week of not leaving the compound has got me itching for something adventurous!" Kairith laughed and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her close to him and resting his chin atop her head. She closed her eyes and leaned into his embrace, enjoying the comfort of his arms, when she heard a small throat clear itself.

"I hope you don't think I'm going to just _let_ you leave!" Hiami announced, her pink dreadlocks, once piled upon her head, now all loose and flowing around her head like a flowing waterfall. Kairith groaned and Iedreth smiled.

"Why not come with us, then?" She suggested, a brow quirked up in amusement. Hiami started, looking shocked that Iedreth had actually suggested it.

"Wait, Really?" She asked, the excitement in her voice unable to be contained. Kairith sent her a look but she merely smiled at him, leaning down to eye level of the warrior.

"I don't see why not." She said. "I mean, it's impretive to one's research that they have alternate subjects for comparative inquiries, yes?"

"You _have_ been listening!" Hiami announced in approval, her voice laced with pleasure. "Besides, I rarely leave Rata Sum these days, it was pure chance I happened to be in Caledon when I ran into you two. You can count me in!" She hopped away, giggling gleefully and grabbing a backpack off the wall, shuffling through drawers and chests with odds and ends.

"Iedreth-"

"Now, now, Kairith." She admonished, patting his arm. "She'd have been very upset if we'd just left her. She's gotten quite attached." He looked at her incredulously.

"You are encouraging her behavior." He grumbled, watching with disbelief as she tossed items into the backpack, where they seemed to disappear.

"To be honest, I'm quite enjoying her upbeat personality." She paused. "And she did assist you in saving me. I owe her this much." Kairith sighed, shrugging and relenting.

"Alright, but when she starts asking about copulating, _you_ get to answer all her questions."

Iedreth felt as if her face may have caught on fire.

...

Eileria stepped off the waypoint pad and walked briskly, her hand firmly in Bryna's towards the arcing hill where people of all sorts were beginning to congregate. She noticed her friends immediately, and Bryna chucked as she felt herself be practically dragged across to them.

"Boss!" Rox and Braham shouted out, waving her over. Eileria smiled and smoothed the cover over her eyes, dulling one sense to amplify the others, as she'd always told Bryna.

"This is it!" Tiami exclaimed, her small figure bouncing in her Golem, Scruffy.

"They're actually going to show up." Rox said, her tone colored with surprise. Tiami scoffed, muttering under her breath, "I'll believe it when I see it."

"Yes, all of our efforts will finally pay off." Eileria agreed, stealing a glance at Bryna. "This is important, for everyone, for all of Tyria. I can't imagine a better time to truly discuss the dangers we come to face."

"Everyone knows how important this is, they'll be here." Braham said.

"We just need to remember our place here. This is a summit, not a party." The group looked between one another solemnly. The situation was dire, and they each knew what it would cost to fail.

Tiami peeked her head from her Golem, her wide hazel eyes on Eileria.

"They'll listen to the boss, I know it!" She exclaimed. The group chuckled, and Eileria smiled, knowing, if nothing else, her group had faith in her. A squeeze of her hand reminded her that Bryna too, had her back throughout. She turned to look at her lover when she spotted a familiar face, a standout indeed, standing next to a Sylvari she'd never seen before.

Or rather, a very talented human _posing_ as a sylvari. With a short wave to her comrades, she delibrately walked over to the mesmer and mercenary secondborn, whom eyed her suspiciously as she approached.

"Ah, Commander of the Pact." The disguised Sylvari gushed. "I'm all abloom with meeting so many strange and new faces! Though yours..." She smirked, her petal like hair shifting in the gentle breeze.

"No need to act, Countess, I know it's you." Eileria said calmly, her voice delibrately low so it didn't carry. The Countess smiled sweetly, leaning in towards the pale green Sylvari.

"Oh you are so clever, though I suspect it's your mesmer abilities that allow you to see through me so easily." She chuckled lightly. "It does to your credit ensure that the security here is at its finest. I ask that you refrain from drawing more attention to me however; It's for the Queen's protection." Eileria nodded imperceptibly, turning instead to the secondborn, whose expression bordered between boredom and discomfort. She could only guess entirely, but she had a feeling his close proximity with the Grove was causing him most of his discomfort. She decided not to draw attention to his past criminal activity, instead inclining her head at him.

"Canach."

"Commander."

"Is he behaving himself?" She asked, amusement on her features. The man grit his teeth slightly but she did not rise to test him further. The Countess smiled, laying a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"You needen't worry, he behaves well enough." She smiled devilishly and Canach scoffed.

"I think you can rest assured that I would never cross any line the Countess did not ask me to cross." He replied crossly. Eileria nodded.

"Very well then. I do have other buisness I need to attend to. Please, enjoy your stay here. Our mother's blessing shine upon you." And with a last parting glance at the pair, Eileria stepped away, looking around the sea of faces.

"Who are you looking for?" Bryna asked, her blue eyes peering above the sea of heads. "Perhaps I could help?"

"A certain Pact Marshall." Eileria replied, distracted. "I know I sensed his arrival not too long ago-"

"He's over there." Bryna said, pointing in his direction. "Come, I will take you to him." Bryna pulled Eileria through the dense crowd of people, mostly Sylvari, towards the Pact Marshall, who stood next to Laranthir and a Vigil Warmaster. Eileria smiled as she came close to the Pact Marshall, and he spotted her and the Norn, waving at the two and gesturing for them to join him.

"Ah Eileria, It is good to see you well. And, to you as well Bryna Cloud."

"It's good to see you too, Trahearne." They spoke together, an odd disonance as they echoed each other. They gave each other a smile before turning back to the firstborn.

"I have to say, I'm altogether not surprised that you pulled this all together. A World Summit. Such a thing could only really be the work of the Pact Commander." Eileria rolled her eyes in amusement. "Truly, it is well that you did. It's important that everyone understand the dire threat that we face with this elder dragon's awakening." Eileria beamed at the Marshall.

"I thank you for that, Trahearne. Your presense is truly appreciated here you know." The Firstborn laughed, shaking his head slightly.

"I'm merely here for moral support I'm afraid." He lamented, his golden eyes shifting to observe the masses, who were beginning to converge on the large Asuran gate at the edge of the grove. "It will be your burden to convince the leaders of their involvement." Eileria sighed, and Bryna gently patted her shoulder encouragingly.

"What about the Pact?" She asked, shifting her weight and tilting her head. "Have reinforcements been arriving? Will we... will we have enough to take on Mordremoth?" Trahearne's face grew serious and his stroked his chin thoughtfully as he pondered her question.

"Our forces have not had a chance to fully recuperate from Zhaitan's fall, despite the time lapse between Dragons." He began. "However we are doing our best. Hopefully, once this summit convenes..."

"People will volunteer?" Eileria finished. Trahearne nodded, turning to Laranthir.

"Yes, that's the hope. The orders face issues of their own concerning numbers. They supplied many bodies to kill the dragon. Many lives were sacrificed." Eileria nodded solemnly, remembering the soldiers, whose bodies never rose again to fight another day. The families whose loved ones would never again see the light of day. She couldn't bear more destruction like this.

"I have been away so long." She said softly. Trahearne placed a hand on her shoulder, his face comforting.

"I have noticed, but I don't think you do it out of lack of responsibility, Eileria." He smiled, but it was strained. "I would have preferred you at my side, your strength... well, I think we could all agree, it's contagious. You give people hope. It's what they need to survive, to continue. You are saving lives, and I cannot begrudge you that." He smiled again, and Eileria could not help but smile back.

"I would love to talk more, but I think we're about to see the world leaders come through." Trahearne announced, pointing to the gate, where a light seemed to be swirling within. "Go on, I know you have things you must do. We will have time to speak later." Eileria nodded, sending a passing wave the firstborn's way, and then rushing, tugging along the smiling Norn, to the front edge of the platform, standing, blended in with the crowd.

The first to step through the portal was a familiar face that Eileria had personally spoken to at least once before. The Queen of Kryta, a few trusted body guards, including her friend Kasmeer, trailing her warily. The Queen walked with great dignity, and the Sylvari around whispered and pointed in awe, as she headed to the Pod that would lift her to the Ompholos chamber.

Following her was Knut Whitebear, whom she felt Bryna salute as he passed, a great deal of respect following the man's back as he too disappeared into the lift.

Thirdly was the ever calculating Counceller Phlunt. Eileria chucked in beneign amusement as Taimi stuck her tongue out at his unsuspecting back, and couldn't help but feel as if the older Asura was in more of a foul mood than the _last_ time she'd seen him, and wondered idly if that would effect the negotiations.

Finally, the last world leader climbed through the portal, Smodur, the Charr leader, his muzzle trained in fierce contemplation as he walked in the same direction as the others, nodding a slight greeting to the pact commander as he passed.

Once all of the leaders had ascended, almost as if on cue, a green sylvari, donning ceremonial plate, walked up to the Commander as she joined the rest of her group, and gestured towards the lift.

"You may now ascend, Commander, and company." The sylvari said, her voice gentle, but no-nonsense.

"It's finally time." Rox agreed, cracking her knuckles with nervousness. Braham nodded.

"I just can't wait to see Phlunt's face when he realizes that _we're_ right." Taimi practically moaned in exultation. The plated sylvari turned to her, her eyes apologetic.

"I apologize, but the golem will not be allowed to ascend into the chamber." Taimi's mouth popped open, and she nearly fell off her golem she became so unbalanced.

"What?" She gasped, her face drawn in horror. " _No."_

"It's probably for the best." Braham cut in, pushing her slightly so she had a firm grip on her golem. "This is for Grown-ups Taimi. Besides, we're going to need someone to watch our back from down here. We're going to be vulnerable up there." Taimi's face was downcast, but she steeled herself and Braham smiled, patting her on the back gently.

"I'll tell you all about it later, I promise." He offered, and she crossed her little arms, her eyes wide and trained on his face.

"You better remember every word, Braham!" She remarked, setting her Golem to run. "I'll keep an eye out for things down here." And with that, she rushed off, her shoulders hunched, and Eileria suspected, her spirit having taken a hit. She turned to the others.

"We need to go up." She said. "Mother is waiting on us to begin." They nodded and followed the pale green mesmer to the pod, which lifted them up into the chamber, where the leaders were already gathered in a casual circle around the Pale Tree's avatar, their guards looking rigid and very aware, the leaders each seeming to take into stock the others, their eyes wandering. All in all, it was quiet, most of the ambient noise coming from the crowd below. Eileria stepped off of the lift pod and onto the chamber floors, and the all present turned their eyes to her and her company. She paused, unsure, but caught the loving gaze of her mother and stepped forward confidently, her friends and lover not far behind. The Pale tree beamed at her, before turning her attention to each of the world leaders, her face serious.

"Welcome to the Grove, esteemed leaders." She began, her voice light and lilting, like a summer brook. "I will do without the introductions; I know you are all familiar with each other outside this place. Therein, I do believe we should get right down to the heart of the matter. We should speak of this growing threat." Her eyes fluttered to the Pact Commander, and she smiled encouragingly.

"Without further ado, I will allow your spokesperson to speak more on the matter." All of the leaders turned their attention to the Commander, and she felt a gentle push from Bryna, and saw encouraging nods from her friends. She cleared her throat, stepping up to the pulpit that her mother had prepared from freshly hewn vines.

"Thank you, for being here." She spoke, her voice strong, confident. Her posture straight. "I am Eileria Cloud. It says a lot about your leadership that you have agreed to meet with us. There is truly much to discuss."

...

Iedreth turned one last time to look at the thriving city of Rata Sum, before facing the collosal gate the asura had created that would take them to Divinity's Reach, a pit stop on the way to Queensdale. Hiami was arguing with a stout little male asura, his arms crossed as he pointed in jabs at the two sylvari, who paid him no mind, and Kairith stood beside her, his hand on the small of her back, making her feel steady and grounded. She smiled at him.

"What's it like, travelling through an Asuran gate?" She asked, peering through the strange puple swirls of magic and technology that had been married together to create such a thing. Kairith shrugged, his face wrenching a little.

"Its uncomfortable the first time." He says honestly, his face turns to hers. "But you get used to it after a while. It pulls you a little harder than waypoint gates. Don't worry, I'll catch you if you fall."

"C'mon! The petulant old man is going to let us through the gate before they shut it down for the night!" Hiami said, pulling the two up to the steps. "Don't forget to take a deep breath, and try not to lose your lunch!" And with a strangely manic cackle, the pink asura hopped through, leaving the two sylvari shaking their heads in amusement, before following her through the gate to Divinity's Reach.

...

 **Whooo. I hate how long it takes me to complete a chapter during the week! Anyways, here is the next one, I hope to have another one, if not two done for the weekend, so stay tuned for more amazing adventures! As always, feel free to Review, follow, or favorite! Thanks!**


	13. Dangerous Games

Purpose, Chapter 13: Dangerous Games

...

 **Authors Note: It may seem like events are skipping around in regards to Iedreth and her group, this is to make it appear as if there is more time before she joins the main group in their quest to end the threat of the Elder Dragon Mordremoth. To make it clearer, the timelines to NOT necessarily match up when segwaying into another POV. It may be June for example when the summit is occuring, but it may be back in April where Iedreth's story is continuing. Sorry for the confusion, but I'm trying to fit a lot of content into a small space, as eventually, Iedreth and Eileria's stories will collide.**

...

Bryna was irritated.

Actually, irritated was slightly an understatement.

For World leaders, they didn't seem to be able to comprehend the true threat that was looming just over the horizon. So focused were they on themselves and their people, which she could admit, was admirable, they couldn't see that the awakening of yet another Elder Dragon would spell absolute chaos for Tyria.

To their credit, each leader brought up valid points, pointing out issues with manning for the legions, losing people to attacks on their outposts. Having lost people to the previous Dragon. Famine. Death. It was all the same concerns, played out with different pieces in a different voice.

Eileria did well to dispell each concern, and Bryna couldn't be more proud of the pact commander, who stood her ground for the importance of each threat, not undermining the concerns of the leaders, as Bryna was sure she would have, should she have been in her lovers place, but addressing them and countering them with arguments that nullified any misgivings that they'd had about Mordremoth's true threat. But still, she could nearly feel it as a brisk wind of cold, the doubt and nervousness that emanated from each of them as Eileria shot down their concerns, bringing the uncomfortable truth about the dragon to the forefront; He was awake, and He was coming.

She sighed impatiently as Eileria addressed the queen's concerns about the Centaur communities. She had personally been there when Eileria was still a newborn, a "sapling" as they called their newborns, and had travelled with her to Queensdale years ago. The Centaur threat then was intense at best, and she remembered how visious the creatures could be, refusing to back down and continuously attacking the seraph, the Queen's soldiers. She remembered Eileria's frustration in those days, unable to understand how they could attempt to kill so many innocents without ever seeming to feel remorse or back off.

They'd personally seen to a culling of their numbers, to assist the seraph, of course.

The Queen, it seemed, had not forgotten this kindness even now, as she stared at the pale green Sylvari with respectful regard. She listened attentively as the Commander pleaded with her, trying to ask for any contribution, if not soldiers, supplies, anything. The Queen seemed to think on it, before remarking that she had plenty of scholars, strategists, that could try to learn more and exploit the threat, and she knew they could assist in finding a weakness in Mordremoth.

Bryna had to hand it to her, she was trying. It was hard, and she tried not to be irritable about it, but she couldn't help but feel like the leaders were still stalling, trying not to give too much. The Pact's numbers had suffered, this much she knew well, and Trahearne had pointed out the Zhaitan had greatly impacted their attack force. If not now, if they couldn't get a headway on Mordremoth before he started to really wreak havoc... It would be too late.

And Bryna couldn't stand to lose someone close to her, her eyes flitted to Eileria involuntarily as the thought crossed her mind, ghosting across a lewd scar across her back, that she'd earned years ago in the fight against Zhatian. No one had gone away unscathed against _that_ elder dragon. She wasn't sure they were understanding how many more losses there would be if... If the unthinkable happened.

It seemed that during her musings, the summit had come to something of an impasse, a conclusion. The Pale tree nodded to Eileria, whose whole demeanor looked _weary_ as she stepped away, bowing slightly and leaning into Bryna's waiting embrace.

"You did well, my love." Bryna whispered into her ear as the Pale Tree stepped forward to address the leaders again. Eileria smiled and let out a breath of relief.

"I felt as though I may never change their minds." She admitted, her voice lower than the whispering wind. "They are all tenacious in their own rights. I must admit, it's refreshing to know they all care so much about their people." Bryna chuckled under her breath, wrapping her arms around Eileria's shoulders and facing the Pale Tree.

She opened her mouth to speak, and instead of words, her face seemed to contort in a vision of agony and terror, and a scream emanated from her throat, at the same time the earth quaked, and many of their number were thrown off balance, the room becoming dark. The bioluminescence that once lit the chamber with warm light seemed to vanish, leaving the area dim and cold. The Pale Tree collapsed, both Trahearne and Caithe immediately falling to her side.

"Weapons out, we've got company!" Knut Whitebear announced, his swords drawn and face ambivalent. Braham jumped to join his fellow Norn, peeking over the edge of the chamber, where he spotted Taimi atop her golem.

"Taimi!" He cried out, drawing his weapons and blocking a modrem vine, pushing it back. "Get inside Scruffy, and hold the line. We'll be down as soon as we can!" Eileria's blades were slashing through mordrem at a rate not unfamiliar to Bryna, as she disappeared and reappeared all around the chamber like a flash of light, leaving her luminescent clones behind her to take down the outcrop of vines and small mordrem that seemed to spawn out of thin air, her whole body dancing as it sliced through the hostile creatures that invaded her home.

"You can't!" Taimi called back, a shifting mechanical sound resounding as her golem's control center popped open. "They destroyed the lift as soon as that earthquake hit! You're sitting ducks up there!" The panic in her voice sent the Asuran representatives scurrying to the corner of the chamber, and sent the charr snarling as they too cut down the mass waves of mordrem, cursing Mordremoth the whole time.

Bryna's mace slammed into a Mordrem husk, disintegrating it, as she headed towards the Queen, who held a violet barrier around herself as her human guards hacked away at the vines, their faces perfectly focused as they protected their queen.

"No, we're not," Majory stated, looking over to Kasmeer and catching the mesmer's eye. "All we need is-"

"A portal! I'm on it!" Kasmeer's hands began to wave as she created the portal in the center of the chamber, her concentration evident on her face as she held up her hands, channeling the portal.

"Hurry! Get the leaders through!" She shouted. Rox snarled and shoulder-checked a husk before shouting to Smodur and the other charr to take the portal, their path clear of the dragon's minions. Eileria smoothly cleared the path for Councellor Phlunt, gesturing for him to follow, while not lowering her guard as more vines seemed to sense her very presense. The elderly asura mumbled under his breath, but with fear in his expression, quickly made way to the portal before disappearing to the floor below. Majory's minions tore, bit and clawed at the vines attacking the Queen, and she shouted for her to follow the other leaders down to safety, guarding her as she quickly ran to the portal, shooting a worried glance at the pale green sylvari swirling around the room in patches of purple butterflies, and a thankful glance at Kasmeer and Marjory, before disappearing into the portal as well.

Knut seemed to be enjoying himself immensely, slashing, kicking and tearing down Mordrem after Mordrem, his guards on the same wavelength, and Braham watching his back eagerly as they cleared the never ending waves.

"Knut, please, you have to go down now!" Bryna called, slamming her mace down and freezing a patch of mordrem beside the portal. "Kasmeer can't hold her magic forever. It's now or never!" Knut nodded, his bulk rushing headlong through the outcroppings, toppling over a husk and modrem hound before sliding into the portal, followed by his guard and Braham, who send a quick look to the Pale Tree before ascending as well.

"Trahearne, Caithe!" Both firstborn turned to the Commander, whose blades were nearly invisible as they slashed through the creatures attacking. "Go down, start thinning the mordrem below, get the saplings to safety!" The two firstborn did not argue, but send a furtive glance at their mother before disappearing into the portal as well, Marjory right on their heels.

Kasmeer sent a wave of magic at the remaining vines, and Eileria finally came to a stop, her breathing heavy and her blades held up defensively, her eyes still scanning the chamber for threats. Bryna stowed her mace, turning to Kasmeer.

"Can you hold the portal once you go down?" She asked. Kasmeer nodded.

"Yes, but only temporarily." She watched warily as Eileria rushed towards her mother, and nodded in understanding. "I will hold it as long as I can. I know it's hard to ask... But try not to linger." Bryna nodded and watched as the mesmer took her own portal down, and as she had said, the portal still remaining. Bryna walked over to Eileria, who held the Pale Tree's avatar in her arms, her shoulders caved inwards as she searched the Pale Tree's face for signs of life.

Her golden eyes opened slowly, and she reached a luminate hand to touch Eileria's face, her breaths staggered and shallow. Eileria wrapped a hand around her mother's her stomach dropping when she felt how cold it was.

"My... My child..." She spoke, her voice so soft it was like a whisper. "I... I am greatly... weakened." Eileria's mouth turned into a frown, her cheeks tight as she gazed into her mother's eyes, willing her to survive.

"Mother please, we'll get a mender and-"

"There isn't time, child." The Avatar spoke out harshly. "This assault, it was fierce... The mordrem... they attacked my roots... my branches..." She paused, her eyes wide as she stared at Eileria.

"But... there is... there is another." Eileria felt a cloud of dread fall upon her as darkness fell upon the chamber, the only light fading from her mother's avatar as she watched. Dimming.

"Another Mordrem?" Eileria asked, her voice wavering. The Pale tree nodded, her eyes shifting as if searching for something.

"Yes... Child... One of the most... dangerous. It comes from... Mordremoth, himself." She gasped, coughing and her frail body seeming to curl into itself. Eileria's expression was heartbroken. "You.. You know it... It is from your dream..."

Eileria's heart went cold.

A roar resounded amoungst the entire Grove.

...

Iedreth ran quickly, her blades drawn as a Centaur charged towards a small child, who screamed for it's mother as the centaur had bared down upon it, and she had felt a small bit of rage that the centaur would attack an innocent, helpless, creature. She'd only seen the offspring of other races in passing, but she was quite smitten with the human children, whose blatant curiosity mirrored her own, and left her feeling refreshed as she explored new and amazing lands around her. One things she'd immediately realized upon coming to Queensdale, was that there were few dangers in the countryside, but the threats that _were_ present were in great quantity in their own right. Centaurs littered the countryside, raiding Seraph camps and attacking outposts, villages, and gates, killing innocents and soldiers alike.

Then there were the bandits. The scurvy humans stole, killed, and vandalized anything and _everything_ they could get their hands on. As she sunk her blade into the centaurs heart, she pondered which of the two threats was more pressing.

"He was the last one." Kairith said, cleaning his knife on his pants before resheathing it and straightening out, his eyes scanning the field outside the mill. "Have you seen Hiami?"

Iedreth spun on her heel, her eyes scanning the countryside for something pink that stuck out against the landscape, and saw, several hundred feet away, her bouncing dreadlocks as they bounded towards her, her sword dripping with freshly painted blood, her eyes wide with excitement.

"Clear on the East Path too." She said, sticking her greatsword into the dirt, peering over at the child.

"Where did you encounter this progeny?" She asked, her pink eyes on the little girl, whose wide eyes were wet with fresh tears.

" She likely strayed just a little too far from the village." Kairith explained, walking up to her and picking her up. "Isn't that right?"

"Yes!" She squeaked, her eyes still wide. "I forgot my bear." Iedreth scanned the ground and spotted a crudely sewn bear, made of what looked to be burlap and hay, and picked it up, offering it to the child, who clutched it to her chest happily.

"I want to go home now." She announced, blinking tears away. She pointed to the gated entrance and the trio walked her back, handing her off to an emotional woman who held a very, _very_ newborn baby in her arms, and tears streaming down her face, thanked the adventurers profusely.

"They most certainly cling to their progeny like asura to their golems." Hiami commented as they walked away, watching the townsfolk curiously. "I suppose it only makes sense, considering their young do not have the mental facilities to do anything _really_ useful until they've reached prepubescence." Iedreth raised a brow and smiled.

"I think they're simply _fascinating_." She teased. Hiami pouted, crossing her arms as she waddled next to the two Sylvari.

"Well of course _you_ , would," She remarked, her eyes wide and thoughtful. "Your kind cannot reproduce, therefore, the young of other races is likely a peculiar anomoly for ones such as yourselves."

"I suppose you could say that." Kairith said. "I don't disagree with you on one point. They are born as if a blank slate. Completely helpless. We are born with the knowledge of Sylvari and others before us. We come into this world prepared. They come into his unprepared. I'm not sure which is better."

"I think it would be lovely to watch something _grow_ like that." Iedreth sighed, watching a few children play in a circle outside a small house. "They start out so small, and then become our size! But after so many years!"

"They must learn things the hard way." Kairith replied, his eyes following hers. "But I suppose there are perks either way."

"Perhaps for humans." Hiami piped up, her cheerfulness back. "For Asura, our progeny are born smarter than your average human. They are sent to creches, and they learn effective theorums and mechanical engineering that will serve them well in Rata Sum someday."

"Do they play, as these children do?" Iedreth asked curiously. Hiami shrugged.

"Hopeful savant's rarely play, most spend their time studying, building, creating. We're not the most... social of creatures." She seemed to notice the conundrum of her sentence and Iedreth and Kairith passed a smirk between the two of them.

"Well, not _all_ of us, anyway." She finished, rolling her eyes at the two sylvari.

"You are quite social for an introvertic race." Kairith commented, his blue eyes piercing. Hiami huffed.

"Well, my research requires that I disseminate amoungst various populations, to try to gather evidence for my coadjuvant thesis." Both Sylvari seemed unable to really comment, and instead turned towards the adjacent town, pointing.

"Let's go there next." Iedreth remarked, her eyes gleaming in excitement. Hiami sighed, rolling her eyes, but following the two regardless.

...

Curran felt only a _slight_ bit tipsy.

His watch had ended pretty promptly, and he was at a local brewery, tasting some of the best ale he'd had in his three years, enjoying the sun as it rose high in the sky. Noon. Not his favorite time of day, but not his least favorite either. He had been born during the dusk cycle, and as was common with those of his cycle, preferred the early morning, the dark turning to day a simple and fervent pleasure.

He sat beside a Seraph female and a slight asuran engineer, both of whom were nursing mugs of ale larger than his own, and showing it in their raucous behavior and loud mannerisms.

He sighed and laid down his coin at the bar, moving to the door, picking up his swords and stepping out into the high sky light. He needen't shield his eyes, as they were already blindfolded, a sensory deprivation, he was taught, that would allow him better communication with the mists. He often respected the loss of vision, having heard and sensed danger before he would have seen it, and defeated many enemies in the mists as they grew to epic proportions.

But, every now and again...

He pulled off the metal blindfold, allowing his bare eyes to adjust to the light, and was surprised to see the stormclouds gathering in, about to shadow over the sun. His eyes settled down, and he spotted the strangest combination of color he felt like he'd ever seen.

Pink dreadlocks on an Asura? This he _had_ to see up close.

His steps were quick and none too quiet, and all three turned to look at him when he approached, his hunter green eyes focused _mostly_ on the brightly colored asura, who barely reached his waist in height, were in not for said hot pink locks.

"Good afternoon, Warden." The male sylvari greeted him, eyeing him speculatively. "What can we do for you?"

"Actually, I really just wanted to meet _her."_ He said, his voice surprisingly not slurred, though far more chipper than his actual persona. The tiny asura blinked, looking left and right before pointing to her chest, eyes wide.

"You mean me?" She squeaked. Her voice was cute, not quite childlike, not quite like a human adults. Somewhere inbetween. Muskier. Healthy. Light, but strong. He found that he liked it.

"Well yes." He answered, and his cheeks darkened with chagrin. He had _definetely_ had far too much ale. "I saw your distinct coloring from here, and I couldn't tell you why, but I simply _had_ to come by and verify it for myself." The asuran warrior quirked an eyebrow, confusion setting in.

"Are you... inebriated?" She asked slowly. Curran laughed, his chagrin wiped away by curiosity and ale.

"I wouldn't say _inebriated_." He argued, smiling widely. "I only had a pint or two. Maybe three. It didn't feel strong..." The Asura narrowed her eyes.

"Well, the slurring and the jubilant demeanor suggest otherwise." She smirked, and he smiled back, leaning on his sword.

"Perceptive indeed." He said, trying hard not to slur his words. Oh, by the tree, who even cared anyway? It had been some really fine ale. "I'll tell you what, I'll buy each of you a pint of what I had if you let me ask you some questions. It's been so _boring_ here on patrol every day. It's rare I see travellers anymore." Iedreth giggled and Kairith placed his hand over his face, a smirk slowly finding it's way on his face. But Hiami grinned, her sharp teeth gleaming in the noon sun.

"Well, I couldn't possible disincline to aquiesce to some arduously brewed ale." She climbed up the warden's arm, perching herself on his shoulder, and he was pleasantly surprised to find that she didn't weigh a whole lot, though her greatsword...

She pointed back from the direction he came, and smiled jovially at him.

"Take it away, plant man!" She cried out, and the warden complied, wondering how he got himself in this situation in the first place, and oblivious to the laughter coming from the two sylvari behind him.

...

 **Okay, so apparently I had another chapter in me tonight. It's almost midnight, and I really wanted to get this particular bit out before I forgot it all in the am. But! More to come soon, and, I added in a new character, Curran, He's a revanant, he was a warden, and still dons the armor at times, but his new calling is through the mists. He had a liiiiiittle too much to drink, and walked right up to our heroes as they were travelling, quite unlike him. He doesn't much speak to others, quite the introvert that one. But, we'll see how he does once he makes a special friend that doesn't** _ **quite**_ **want to leave him alone. Research is very important after all! I hope you guys are enjoying the story, I will have more for you soon!**


	14. Chaos

Purpose Chapter 14; Chaos

...

"So, wait, you've actually been to the _mists?"_ Curran nodded at the small asura, who he'd realized very quickly was as talkative as she was brightly colored; Very. Her sylvari companions sat beside her, sending them occasional looks of amusement, but neither seemed inclined to add to the conversation, instead leaning into one another, just enjoying the interrogation the once warden was undergoing.

"Yes, its hard to explain, without sounding mad." He began, watching her eyes nearly bulge out of her head they were so wide. "But it's not at all like reality. Those who have died, souls both virtuous and those malicious, are there, and the dangers are just as real as if you were here in Tyria."

"Fascinating!" She squealed, her elbows inching closer to his arm.

"Now, tell me again, how did you get such brightly colored hair? I don't think I've ever seen an asura with such a pigment." She poked at a hanging dreadlock, and shrugged, setting her head upon her hands.

"Despite popular hypothetical theses, genetics are not as simple as just adding or subtracting allels to get a particular combination, not that asura focus on visual appeasement in the prospective mate, rather intellect and personal accomplishments- But, genetic mutations _do_ occur every now and again. For example, my maternal progenitor had pink ocular iris's, but silver hair folicles. My paternal progenitor had Gray colored iris's and Red hair folicles. Somehow, the combination thereof of red and silver mutated, and rather than getting a muted red or a brown color, as has been theorized to occur from the natural conception of red and silver hair, the hair folicle allels mutated, and thus, pink hair! Though, it _is_ perhaps possible that down the line in my family lineage _someone_ had pink hair, and it just skipped a few generations. Though to try to attempt to find any proof of that would likely be an impossibility now." Curran wasn't really sure how to respond to all of that, though he did have a basic understanding of how mammilian genetics worked, having seen it firsthand during his time in Queensdale.

"Wait, then what about your sister, then?" Iedreth asked curiously. "Her eyes and hair were nowhere near the same color, but your faces and eyes are shaped the same. Hiami shrugged again, turning her attention to the albino sylvari.

"Evari and I are only _half_ siblings." She attested, a small frown on her face. "While we share the same maternal progenitor, our paternal progenitors are _not_ the same. She inherited her pigmentation from her paternal side. Notice, she was darker skinned as well. She did however inherit our maternal progenitors occular shape and cheekbone structure. Hence why it is nearly impossible to deny that we are indeed, related."

"How strange," Iedreth replied, her curiousity getting the better of her. "Why did your mother and... father...?" Hiami seemed slightly downcast.

"My paternal progenitor was an excellent scientist, a very intelligent and well respected asura." She said, her eyes drawn to the bar. "He was kidnapped by Inquest when I was first sent to the Creche, and he died in a tragic laboratory explosion. It is speculated that he set the fire on purpose, but, I suppose I'll never truly know."

Iedreth's mouth hardened into a frown, and she felt sad for the pink-haired asura, not having realized such a tragedy had occured. It seemed that Hiami had looked up to her father, only to have him gone too soon.

"My mother remarried shortly thereafter, and conceived Evari, the little scamp." She continued, putting on a smile and taking a final swig of her ale. "Though she's slightly stunted in her growth, she's shorter and skinnier than average, but she packs a devastating punch to anyone who tells her otherwise."

"It is well that you have her, then." Iedreth replied, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. "I did not mean to dredge up hard memories."

"It is acceptable." Hiami replied. "Lab explosions are a common occurence in Rata Sum. I'd prefer he killed the Inquest than be forced to work for them." Iedreth nodded and glanced at the brown Sylvari, who was still staring at Hiami, his face soft.

Curran stood up suddenly, a wide smile on his face, and scooped up the little asura, who yelped in surprise.

"I know just the thing to cheer you up, come on then!" He rushed out of the bar with Hiami in tow, and Iedreth laughed, turning to Kairith to see his scandalized expression.

"I think she's made a new friend." She told him, placing some coins on the bar stand to cover their drinks. Kairith nodded, drawing his hood over his face.

"Certainly. He seems oddly chipper for someone who has been to the mists, and was a warden for that matter."

"I do believe it's the alcohol." She said, pointing to the barrel that the ale had come from. Kairith peered over the counter, and then placed a hand over his face, shaking it.

"How many of those did he say he had?"

"Oh, I believe he said two or three _before_ we came back in with him."

"And how many did he have after?"

"Two."

"How many did Hiami have?"

"You know... I'm not sure..." Iedreth turned back to the counter and blanched at the amount of mugs clustered on the counter.

"Erm... Perhaps we should go stop them before they do something... rash."

"My thoughts exactly."

... Sometime Later.. ..

Curran was very sure he'd drank too much. He was also very sure that he would be pulling seaweed out of his armor for _days_. Why oh why did he think it was a good idea to go swimming in the lake? Though, he had to admit, it had been pretty funny to see the pink haired asura swim around, laughing and jumping when a skelk slithered by her, immediately jumping up to perch herself on his shoulder. Her two sylvari companions, who he'd later learned were named Iedreth and Kairith, had come running up, laughing at the shivering Asura, who was _demanding_ that he slay the slithering reptile so that she could continue swimming about freely; and asking the warrior to come out and dry off.

For the record, he'd slain the skelk, and she'd swam just after sticking out her tongue at her companions and using his shoulders as a diving board.

The morning had been rough, his head hurt from the leftover effects of the ale, and he found that he had more company than usual, a small, familiar, pink haired asura asleep sprawled out over his bed, and the two sylvari from before sitting at his table speaking in hushed tones.

He groaned as he sat up, his armor making a decidedly squishy sound, before stumbling off to remove it and find clean, dry armor in his wardrobe.

He glanced in the looking glass to see his burl colored skin looking as it did the day before, his leaf-like hair looking particularly ruffled and still wet in places. His green and gray eyes narrowed with sleep. He sighed, ruffling his long hair a bit before slipping into the dry armor and walking back into the kitchen area, setting a copper kettle on the stove and setting it on to boil. He slumped into a chair and rubbed his temples, ignoring the amused looks from the two sylvari.

"Are you well, brother?" Kairith asked, trying to hide a smirk. Curran groaned but made no move to reply.

"You drank quite a bit of ale." Iedreth told him, pushing a glass of water to him, which he accepted gratefully. He sipped the water and was relieved at the clarity beginning to return.

"I appreciate that." He finally said, gesturing towards the water. Iedreth smiled and nodded.

"You gave Hiami a fun night, she'll likely sleep for a few more hours." Iedreth said. "I don't think she's used to having so much alcohol."

"I didn't even think to ask if she was _old_ enough for ale." He replied in chagrin, scratching the back of his head. Kairith chuckled.

"As if that would have stopped her." He told the brown sylvari. "Though I'm inclined to think she's older than all of us combined." Curran chuckled at this.

"You're probably right. So, what brings you all to Queensdale?"

"In short, a change of scenery." Iedreth told him, her hand meeting with Kairiths. "Though, honestly that isn't the _only_ reason." Curran nodded, catching the undercurrent in her tone.

"Yes, I suppose you've been noticing some things, haven't you?" He asked in a low voice, the warden in his voice coming out. Kairith nodded, and Iedreth seemed unable to draw her eyes from the table.

"There have been strange happenings going on." Kairith said. "Strange dreams. Whispers. Thoughts that don't belong in our heads. They're vague, often easy to ignore. But they're getting stronger."

"Yes, I've heard some of the reports from the Grove." Curran replied unhappily. "An entire soundless village just vanishing. Sylvari attacking other sylvari. Trails leading to Maguuma." He paused. "And the Pact has been forming in the Silverwastes for weeks now. A lot of order movement has been happening too."

"I take it you are a member of one as well?" Kairith asked. Curran nodded, gesturing to his armor.

"If it wasn't already obvious. I hail from the Order of Whispers. But currently I'm on duty with the Seraph here. But my orders are almost up, and it will be time for me to go my own way once again. But I have heard the whispers from veritable sources that it would be wise to begin a trek to the silverwastes soon."

"The Priory has been corresponding with us as well, all the same information, I suspect." He turned his eyes quickly to Iedreth and back, a movement that Curran did not miss. "I've heard a rumor that the Commander of the Pact has even been making rounds around Tyria. Something big is happening."

" _The_ Commander?" He asked. "Whatever it is it has to be important." The thief nodded and Iedreth lifted her eyes from the table.

"Do you know the Commander, Curran?" Iedreth asked curiously. Curran shrugged slightly, getting up to move the kettle from the flame.

"In passing, she's a force to be reckoned with. I met her when she was a Vigil Warmaster." Iedreth's eyes widened in surprise. She'd of course heard of each other orders of Tyria, and had asked many questions of Kairith about them. She hadn't expected the Commander, Eileria, the mesmer from her dream, to have been of the _Vigil._ "

"She seemed to step out of the spotlight once Zhaitan had been slain. I don't blame her really. The pact took many losses when Zhaitan's final stand was made. But they perservered. We owe them much, now." He sat down, pouring the hot water into a mug and placing a bag of herbs in to soak. "But it seems like something dangerous is coming. For the Pact to be converging so quickly..."

"I agree, I've already been receiving summons and requests for aid from the Priory." He glanced at Iedreth again. "But I've been... preoccupied. I suppose at some point I will have to face the threat at its source." Curran nodded, his expression grim. Iedreth placed her hand on Kairith's shoulder gently.

"We'll take it one day at a time." She spoke softly, her pink eyes peering into his ice blue ones. "Whatever danger is coming, I'm sure we'll be able to help."

"It may not be quite that simple." Curran interjected. "Many all over Tyria are facing hardships, attacks from hostiles. Famine. Widespread death and disease. Not to mention even _after_ Zhaitan's defeat some of the Risen still walk the land, restless, needing to be culled. Iedreth recoiled at that.

"The Risen still walk the land?" She asked. "But Orr..."

"Orr was cleansed, make no mistake." Curran replied, his brow furrowing. "And though no _new_ Orrians were raised, ones raised before Zhaitan's defeat still walk among us. Though they have no master to follow. They too need to be put to rest. The land surround Orr is still blighted with them. I have thought about going to help the efforts there." Kairith nodded.

"I have too. But with these strange whispers and the outcrops of hostile vines and destruction of forts... Missing Sylvari..." the thief trailed off for a moment. "I'm beginning to think there's something worse coming for us."

For a few moments, the house was silent. All three Sylvari sat, unmoving with the implications. The silence was broken by a high pitched sigh and a rustle of fabric and clinking of armor.

"Ugh...What time is it?" Hiami shuffled off of Curran's bed and trudged over to the table, pulling out a stool next to the brown Sylvari and plopping onto it, resting her head on the table. Curran smiled and pushed the herbal water to the small asura.

"It's nearly noon." He remarked, gesturing for her to drink the tea. She eyed him warily, but accepted it nevertheless, sipping it and rolling her eyes back in exultation. "The tea will dull the headache and refresh you. Don't mind the bitter after taste. It _is_ herbal after all."

...

Eileria stood up, her limbs shaking as her eyes scanned the chamber, listening intently for the nightmarish creature that had haunted her dream. She could hear it's wings flapping against the brush, it's groaning and growling low and sinister as it circled them. Bryna drew her mace and shield, crouching into a battle stance. But Eileria could not make herself move an inch. She felt so small, so young again. Memories racing, making it difficult for her to concentrate.

"Eileria, snap out of it!" Bryna called to her love, and the sylvari snapped her gaze to the Norn, who stood, pointing her mace to an opening in the chamber, where a shadow was descending.

The creature was identical to the one she'd seen in her dream. Larger, by far, but the same. She drew her blades into her hands, but they trembled.

"Kasmeer! What happened to your portal?" Braham shouted. Eileria and Bryna glanced and recoiled in panic. The portal was gone. They were truly trapped here now.

"I- I don't know!" She cried out, her voice panicked. "It was there... and then... it just wasn't!"

"Hang on boss!" Rox called. "We're gonna get you guys down! Just hang on!"

Eileria didn't respond. She steeled herself, forcing herself to concentrate. This was the dragon. He was attacking her mother. Her _Mother._ To prove a point. To make them weaker. She couldn't allow it. She couldn't stand for it. She had to think. She had to _focus._

She dropped her right blade, pulling the shield from her back. The dragon had made its mistake. It wouldn't be allowed to destroy anything else.

Using her magic, she set a well upon the ground, gaining boons and rushing to meet the dragon head on. Vines sprouted about the chamber, and Bryna lunged around, smashing each vine as it headed for the mesmer.

"I'll keep the vines off of you, focus on that dragon!" She called out, heaving her mace and blocking strikes from the hostile vines. Eileria nodded, already swiping her blade at the Dragon, whose roar shook the chamber with such force she nearly lost her footing. The floor quaked and spikes seemed to protrude from the quaking areas in patches, along with many more barbed vines.

Then, a voice whispered, its very essence in her heart.

 _You may Fight all you like, child. But you cannot ignore the call of your Father._

Eileria cried out in pain as the dragon's talon ripped across her arm, knocking her off her feet and slamming into the ground, gritting her teeth and seething.

 _Resisting is just delaying the inevitable, child._

She rushed to her feet, rolling to avoid an uprooting spike that would have likely crippled her permanantly. She breathed in carefully and listened for the creatures wings. It was circling the chamber again, looking for a section with which it could gain purchase and mount another attack. She blinked to the end of the chamber, where it finally landed, it's red eyes trained on her. She slashed her sword against it's snout and blocked it's talons with her shield, keeping her footing grounded before sinking her sword directly into the creature's left eye socket.

The shadow of the Dragon roared in agony, it's wings creating a gust and sending the mesmer rolling off, her sword still lodged in it's eye. Eileria quickly ran to the edge of the chamber where she'd set her other sword, and cried out when a vine wrapped itself around her ankle, whipping her down onto her chin, her concentration lost for a moment.

 _Aren't you weary? Don't you want this all to end?_ She forced herself to her feet, wiping the blood from her mouth, and charging for the sword again, jumping over the low laying vines. _Come child... Come to Magumma. For your true purpose. For your father._

Eileria growled and rolled, swiping up her sword and pulling up her sword just in time to block the soundwaves the creature sent at her, and charging, a warcry on her lips, at the creature yet again, her blade a whirr as clones were summoned to attack the creature from every angle. The dragon's shadow was weakening, it's movements becoming lethargic. Eileria turned to face Bryna, who was having little to no difficulty dealing with the mass amounts of vines and husks that seemed to appear, dodging the tail of the beast and rolling around, a craze and thrill of adrenaline prevalent on her face. She nodded to herself, trying to stay focused, and turned her attention back to the dragon.

 _You can't fight it forever. You are destined to return to me, my child._

"I will _not_!" Eileria screamed out, slashing the dragon straight along the snout, before grasping the handle of her sword that was lodged in the eye of the dragon, and wrenched it out, causing the creature to lurch back, roaring in pain as it thrashed about, nearly sending her toppling to the bottom of the grove.

"EILERIA!" Bryna called, running to the opening and reaching for her beloved, grasping her arm and pulling her up. Eileria was breathing heavily, her hands on her knees as she tried to catch her breath. Her shield was loose on her arm and her swords lay at the edge of the platform, covered in a thick brown gelatinous fluid that had emanated from the dragon's body. They could hear it circling, it's wings flapping erratically. The vines were weakened, no longer pulsating around the room.

"He's- He's weakened." Eileria gasped out, reaching for her swords. "We have to end it now. We- can't give it a chance- to recover!" Bryna nodded, readying her mace, swinging it in a tight circle, watching the shadow as it circled, closer and closer to the chamber's walls.

 _I will never disappear, child. You belong to me._

"I belong to no one." Her sword moved as if a blue, her illusions crowding the space where the dragon landed, their images shattering against the creature's exterior, before Bryna and Eileria charged, their weapons clashing for a final blow against the beast, ending its reign of terror and destruction.

The creature gurgled as it fell, dead weight thousands of feet below, crumbling into thousands of pieces. For a few moments, all was quiet. Eileria didn't dare move. The echo of the dragon's roar was still ringing in her ears. Bryna's mace dropped and suddenly she felt her strong arms wrap around her, and the tears flowed freely from her eyes, the sobs nearly soundless as they wracked her body.

"Shhh... shhh it's okay 'Leria..." The two fell to their knees and Bryna kept the mesmer locked into her embrace, as if she were holding her together, keeping her in one piece.

Minutes passed, and the din from below them grew as everyone began to shout, screaming, cries of victory, shouts of horror. Eileria disengaged herself and looked into Bryna's eyes.

"I... I need to speak with her, with the Pale Tree." Bryna nodded, lifting up the pale Sylvari and walking with her to the Avatar, who lain nearly unmoving, her glow dim and her eyes shut.

"Mother-" Eileria choked, resting her hands on the Avatar's shoulders.

"Child..." The Avatar's voice was weak, her eyes hardly fluttered open at all. Eileria swallowed hard, a feeling of dread enveloping her. The Avatar slowly lifted a hand to touch her child's face, and Eileria gasped as a vision flooded her mind.

She was standing somewhere, lush and green. A deep forest. A golden light was illuminating from the branches, and as she looked into it, she saw her mother's likeness in the bends and breaks of the branches. She inhaled sharply in surprise, and was thrown into the wind, the forest turning into a bright crystalline light that illuminated over a set point. Like a beam, shooting towards the ground. In it, she saw a strange shape. an oblong oval, brighter than the sun and made up of millions of facets that sparkled and gleamed like thousands of rainbows. But, in the distance she could make out the Dragon's shadow, circling the shape, its hungry eyes locked onto it before swooping down and attempting to consume it, before disintigrating in a flash of light that nearly blinded the Mesmer.

She realized the shape was an egg, but before she could truly get a good look at it, thick, thorny vines began to appear, layering over one another, over and over until they were all she could see as far as the eye could see. The darkness beyond the pulsing vines was sinister, and she felt her heart drop in her chest at the malice within.

And just as soon as it had come, the vision went. Eileria was shaking so hard she was surprised she hadn't lost grip of the Avatar of the Pale Tree. She peered down into her mother's face, pained even in unconciousness, and felt all of the weight just slam into her from what she'd just witnessed.

Shouts came from below as another portal was established and Sylvari warden's began to pour through, running to the Pale Tree. Eileria surrendered the barely breathing Avatar to the nearest warden without even a passing glance, standing and running to the portal, feeling as if at any moment she might fall apart. Her friends and much of the grove looked to her expectantly as she came off the portal, and for the first time in a long time, she felt at a complete loss. Kasmeer stepped forward and asked her a question, but all she could hear was ringing. Rox and Braham exchanged a glance before turning their worried gazes to the Commander, who swayed on her feet, her head rushing and her ears ringing.

She opened her mouth as if to say something, when it hit her. The reason she felt so off balance. The reason she felt as if a heavy weight had been added to her shoulders. The reason fear was coursing through her very being.

She could no longer sense her mother at all.

 _That's right, my child. It is just you and I now._

Eileria fell to her knees, her eyes blurred, and the lull of silence became louder than the roar of the dragon as her vision became black.

...

Iedreth placed a hand on the damaged walls of Fort Salma, her hands trailing the edges and the cracks, where the vines of the Dragon had protruded, destroying much of the fort and killing many all of the seraph trapped inside. She shuddered at the imagery and stepped away, clasping the hand to her chest.

"They didn't know the dragon's influence could be so strong, so far from the Maguuma Jungle." Curran said, watching her precariously as she drew away from the wall. "I heard the massacre was gruesome." Iedreth nodded solemnly, making no comment. They'd been traveling with Curran for a few weeks, and it was purely amazing to her how much information he seemed to know. Once they'd finished up in Queensdale, they had moved East to Gendarren Fields, where many forts were located to house the seraph, and where some of the Dragon's activity had been spotted. Curran knew the landscape well, and offered to take them through, and they hadn't minded. Especially Hiami, who seemed to have a never ending font of questions to ask.

They were beginning to move away from the Fort when Iedreth felt it. She went rigid, her body instantly bombarded with a soft, lulling whisper, one she'd not forgotten, but had pushed to the dark corners of her mind where it belonged. She felt as though her breath had been knocked out of her, and she gasped as the soft whispers attempted again to seduce her away, convince her of its honesty. Its truth.

She forced herself to turn, painfully slow, to glance and Curran and Kairith, both of whom were standing as rigid as she was, looking confused and distracted. Hiami's eyes were wide, and she came running up to them.

"Hey, whats going on? What's wrong?" Iedreth took in a gasping breath, forcing herself to focus against the whispers.

"Something- Somethings happened to the Pale Tree!" Curran and Kairith's gazes snapped to her, the shock of what she said snapping them out of their trance.

"That can't be..." Curran said slowly, his eyes wide. Kairith seemed to shake off the whispers, striding over to Iedreth and steadying her.

"Iedreth." He stated firmly. Iedreth looked into his eyes in fear. She stared, forced herself to concentrate entirely on his ice blue eyes. The way his face caved inward like a flower. Forced herself to think of _anything_ but the whispers. She took a shuddering breath, and embraced him, broken sobs emanating from her chest.

"W-what h-happened t-t-to her?" She stuttered between sobs. Kairith merely held her tighter, sending a panicked glance at Curran, who had already pulled out a scroll.

"I don't know... but whatever it was, it wasn't good." Curran scrawled quickly before rolling up the note and whistling, a hawk swooping down to perch on his arm. He made a distinct clicking noise, and tied the scroll to the birds leg, allowing it to take off into the horizon.

"We shouldn't linger here." Curran said, picking up Hiami and setting her on his left shoulder. I have this feeling..." He paused.

"I agree. Let's go." Kairith pulled Iedreth to a stand, helping her forward as the left the fort, headed towards the next town.

...

 **Whhooooo that was a hard chapter to write my goodness! I am on a roll though, I am excited for the next chapter! I hope you are all enjoying it so far, please feel free to fav/follow/review! 3**


	15. Secrets

Purpose: Chapter 15: Secrets.

...

 **Authors Note: I would like to take a moment to thank my consistent reviewer Szallejh, I'm very happy that you are enjoying the story! I hope you continue to enjoy it, and I hope it takes some good turns here soon!**

...

Eileria's eyes snapped open and it took her a moment to recognize her surroundings. The air was cool and dark, but flickering lights illuminated the area at odd intervals, while the shifting luminescence common to the Sylvari structures stood out as she shifted her head to look around. She realized that she was in her home, her home in the Grove, lain out on a flat moss covered stone, her armor splayed out around her and her weapons left abandoned on the other side of the room.

Disoriented, she went to sit up, but felt a sharp pain shoot across her body, and her vision seemed to swim, and she cried out, alerting the others to her conciousness.

"Oh, Eileria!" Bryna was the first to reach her, embracing her gently and nestling her head against the Sylvari's. Eileria closed her eyes and breathed in deeply, wrapping her arms around the Norn.

"Bryna... what... Why am I...?"

"You fainted, boss." Rox said, her green eyes trained on the Commander. Eileria's brow furrowed in confusion. She shifted her eyes around to look at the group, before settling them on her red-headed lover.

"You were overcome with exsaustion." Bryna explained, gently pushing her back down onto the stone. "Not to mention injured. I would venture to say also that you were in shock."

"A lot happened yesterday." Taimi added, her small figure clinging to Braham's shoulders. "I'm sure you have a lot of questions!"

"A few." Eileria said ruefully. "Though I only think one of them is really... important, at the moment." The room was quiet, and her heart seemed to sink in her chest.

"She's not-" She began to panic but Bryna placed a calming grip on her love, soothing her.

"She's not dead, Leria." She told her gently, but her eyes were faraway, worried. "She was... damaged, by the mordrem. They hurt her really badly. She's been unconcious since you spoke to her in the chamber after the dragon attacked." Eileria felt a shudder go through her body as she considered this.

"How long have I been out?" She asked. Braham coughed.

"Erm... Just a day." Kasmeer interjected, her arm locked with Marjory's. "There was a lot of confusion, a lot of talking. But, at least, one good thing did come of all this, however morbid. The world leaders have decided to give their full attention to the Mordremoth threat. None could dispute that the peace had been broken by his attack on the Pale Tree." Eileria only felt a small relief at this, but tried to show it on her face. It ended up as just a grimace.

"Anything else anyone would like to tell me?" She asked her quiet companions, who seemed to be hedging on something. They each looked to one another.

"You're still recovering, boss, the rest can-"

"Just tell me." She insisted, forcing herself to sit up. "I'll decide for myself if my recovery is complete or not." No one commented, though Bryna sent a stern look her way, and she looked at each of them in turn, waiting on someone to say something.

"Oh, for goodness sakes!" Kasmeer finally said, sending a glower at the others. "Fort Salma is having some... supernatural activity. Marjory and I were going to go there to take care of it, while Rox and Braham coordinated with Trahearne. The Pact is assembling in the Silverwastes with the intent to make a move on Maguuma." Eileria was taken aback at how quickly Trahearne had begun to pull together Pact forces, but was not surprised at the tenacity of the Pact Marshall. She already knew she was going to need to go there, at least to get word on the plan, and find out what her role would need to be.

But then... there was Fort Salma.

The Fort had been mostly abandoned from what she'd heard, and if it was not, or if there was something going on there... She looked at Marjory and knew that she needed to be there. She'd been there when it had been assaulted. She needed to be there to lay it to rest.

She made the decisions quickly in her head before turning to them.

"I'll go with you and Marjory to For Salma." She told Kasmeer. "Rox, Braham, please, go with Bryna to the Silverwastes and talk with Trahearne. Let him know there is some unfinished business we have to attend to first, but we will fall out there once we are done." Braham and Rox saluted the Commander and bustled out, followed quickly by Kasmeer and Marjory, who told the mesmer they would be in contact when they were ready to meet in Gendarren Fields. She nodded at them as they left, and turned to face Bryna, taking her face in her hands.

"Are you sure you can handle that, Leria?" Bryna asked softly, her eyes intense as they stared into her own. Eileria stroked her cheek and set her forhead against Bryna's, sighing and closing her eyes.

"I know that I have to go, as a friend. I can feel it." She said. Bryna was quiet for a moment.

"I was really worried about you, Leria." Eileria opened her eyes slowly, lavender meeting blue. "You scared my half to death. You give so much when you fight. I'm worried one day you'll have nothing left to give."

Eileria wrapped her arms around the Norn's waist, nuzzling her cheek against her chest. She didn't reply. She didn't know what she would say. Because, if she was honest with herself...

She wasn't sure how long she'd have something to give either.

...

Hiami was keeping a well trained eye on her three Sylvari companions.

Sure, they hadn't acted strangely since the incident the previous day, but that didn't mean she was letting down her guard. Something in their expressions and the way they spoke in soft whispers told her that whatever they were experiencing, it was _big_ , but, she suspected, also mysterious. She'd asked them to explain, not just out of curiousity, but also out of necessity; She wanted to make sure she could approach any situation that occured from here on out with the full know-how. But all three of them had been puzzled, and found difficulty in explaining it.

So she decided to wait, and try again, one at a time.

Iedreth had been her first subject, easily the most pliable of the three, having been the newest to Tyria and the most naive of the three. However when probed, Iedreth seemed the most stony, immediately locking up and refusing to make eye contact with Hiami while telling her that she had no idea what happened, it hadn't made sense to her.

Hiami knew a lie when she saw one. And Iedreth was a _terrible_ liar.

Kairith was no more compliant than Iedreth, and was more sullen about it overall. Brooding. She made a mental note to watch _his_ behavior the most, though he seemed to gravitate towards Iedreth all the more, and she felt that if something _did_ happen, she would notice it far sooner than Hiami would.

Curran was her last hope for some semblence of knowledge. They were walking along the shore of Lake Gendarr, headed towards the homestead and farm at Cornucopean Fields, where they had been told the farmer's were in search of some assistance, when she found an oppurtunity to get Curran seperated from the two love-bird sylvari, and smiled mischeviously as they came within view of the farmland.

"I believe the Seraph said it was Milton Brook that we needed to see?" Kairith said, peering at his worn map as he scanned the landmarks for something familiar. Iedreth looked over his shoulder and pointed to something, then making the same gesture at a small building nestled amoung the endless fields, looking worse for wear and then spotted a man walking out from behind it, a rake in his hand and a weariness about his posture.

"I'd guess that's him." Curran said. "I've never spoken to the man personally though." The other two Sylvari nodded and began heading towards his homestead. Hiami raised a brow before follwing behind cautiously.

Milton was sitting on a small wooden bench when they walked up, and looked up, surprised, before greeting them good-naturedly.

"What can I do for you folks?" He asked, raising an eyebrow at the strange compilation of creatures before him.

"Actually," Iedreth said smiling. "We're here to help you. We came across someone who knew you earlier, said that you could likely do with some help?" Milton's smile broadened and he stood up, stretching.

"Well I'll be damned." He said with a grin. "I haven't had company in quite some time. I'll tell you what; Ya'll help me out around here, killing pests, tending to the plants, kickin' out any Pirates ya see, and I'll make you the finest meal you've ever had in Gendarren, and you can stay the night here, free of charge." The four companions looked to one another, surprised but thankful for the offer.

"Sounds like a deal, sir." Kairith said, holding out his hand to grasp the farmers. He took it, and they walked off slightly, converging in a circle to come up with a game plan.

"I think it would be the most conducive if we split into teams of two to achieve our goals here." Hiami piped up immediately. Iedreth and Kairith looked surprised, but thankfully, not suspicious, and nodded at the suggestion.

"That actually might be best, there is a lot of ground to cover." Iedreth stated, peering around the land. "I don't see much pirate activity but..."

"That doesn't mean there won't be." Kairith said, grimacing. "Pirates around this area are especially precocious. Just keep an eye out, and if you encounter a group of them, we'll call for the other group, sound good?"

"Sounds like a solid plan to me." Curran said shrugging. "How would you like to group up?" Hiami smirked as Kairith looked scandalized that the revenant would even ask such a question.

"I'll take Iedreth and take the east half of the farm." He said, controlling his expression before Iedreth could see it. Hiami snickered. "You and Hiami can take the west side. We'll meet up at the middle once we're through." Curran nodded, raising a brow at the snickering asura, before hoisting her up on his shoulder. Once the other two Sylvari were out of earshot, Curran turned to her, his expression controlled, but eyes amused.

"I take it you knew he was going to suggest that?" He asked her, promptly stopping her giggling fit. She shrugged slightly, a smile still wide on her face.

"Just a hunch." She replied. They walked in companionable silence for a few moments, before spotting an infested section of one of the irrigated rows in the west farmlands.

They set to work immediately, removing grubs and pesky insects that were burrowing beneath the sprouts that were just beginning to form out of the ground. Some of the grubs were mutated it seemed, larger than Hiami was used to for sure, and she grit her teeth several times throughout as she sliced through the gooey creatures, earning a light chuckle from the sylvari she was working with.

"Laughter is not conducive to the culmination of our efforts." She told him grumpily, scraping the goo off of her greatsword while noticeably shuddering. He smiled at her.

"You're cute when you are grossed out." He commented. Hiami's cheeks flared and she pointedly glanced away.

"I am not, 'grossed out', I just find gelotinous fluids to be unfavorable." He chuckled again and she rolled her eyes, grumbling under her breath as she set to uproot yet another large grub from the ground.

It didn't take them too long to completely clear out the area, and Hiami felt that it was now or never to broach the subject, as they make there way closer and closer to the middle section of the field.

"Curran?" She asked, not looking at him directly, her eyes on the ground, where she was tending a small row of sprouts.

"Yes, Hiami?" He replied. She glanced over and saw that he was gently tending to the plants in a row adjacent to her own, his hands moving the earth and shifting it gently, as if laying a child to bed. She shook her head.

"Yesterday... when we were travelling..." She trailed off, letting him catch up to her train of thought. She watched his hands pause, but he did not look up. His expression did not change, but she saw the change in stiffness in his shoulders. He knew what she was trying to guage.

"You want to know what really happened?" He asked softly. Though his voice was low, she detected a hint of stress in his tone. She kept her eyes on his face until he turned to look at her, his green eyes wary.

"I'm not a juvenile. I can handle your candor." Curran rocked back on his heels, sitting down and peering at her as if trying to read her mind. After a moment, he seemed to shake his head, before leaning in towards her.

"It's difficult to describe, without sounding mad." He admitted softly. "It's not something we've ever had time to really experience. Our predecessors never had this... voice, speaking to them. At least, not the voice we're hearing now."

"A voice?" She asked curiously, her pink eyes wide. He nodded, looking down at the ground.

"I had heard it once before, perhaps two, three, months ago." He said quietly. "It reminds me of a concience, a voice that would tell you to do good, to do the right thing. Except... Except it's not. The voice is soft like a lullaby, and tempting like no other temptation I've ever felt before." His eyes flickered to her and back. "But there is a sinister undercurrent that, if you are wary enough, trained enough, perhaps, experienced enough... you could detect it immediately." Hiami tilted her head, watching as he seemed to draw into himself, thinking deeply.

"It was so soft and easy to ignore then." He continued. "It wasn't as if I hadn't thought I was mad. I often thought that the time away from the grove was meddling with my mental stability. But the voice seemed to fade away the more I ignored it, until I wasn't hearing it at all for a time. Until... Until yesterday. Something significant changed. The voice was no longer a soft whisper in my head, but a screaming cacophany of noise, louder than even my own thoughts, drowning out all reason and all thought. Trying to drive me to Maguuma. I can only speculate, but my best guess would be... that the jungle dragon, known as Mordremoth, has finally awaken fully." Hiami didn't reply, her eyes wide as she stared at the brown sylvari.

"Are you afraid of me, now that you know this?" He asked when she didn't reply, and she turned her eyes to his, and saw that his expression was hesitant, _sad,_ even. She scooted closer to him, sitting right up next to him, before smiling up at him as confidently as she could.

"I'll have you know that I am a woman of science. I believe it would take more research to indicate whether or not you might succumb to the Dragon's siren call. Though, I'd suspect someone with a weaker mental capacity than your own would be susceptible far sooner than you." He looked at her in surprise, a smile pulling at the corner of his mouth as he looked at her.

"Did I just receive a compliment on my mental facilities?" He teased, poking at a loosely hanging dreadlock. She huffed, still smiling, and rolled her eyes.

"You seem proficient enough, for a Sylvari." She allowed. This time _he_ rolled his eyes, a smirk upon his face.

"I'll have you know I'm more than _proficient_ at gathering information, small one."

"Well, you _are_ order of Whispers after all." She replied.

They sat in companionable silence for a moment as the sun rose to the apex of the sky. Hiami stretched her arms and leaned back, enjoying the combination of the heat and the light breeze.

"Hey Curran?" She said, breaking the silence. He turned to her, tilting his head and raising a brow.

"Thanks for trusting me." She said. "For telling me, actually. I'm not an ambivalent progeny anymore. I've taken down more substantial creatures than these goo-filled larvae." That earned a laugh from the sylvari, who stood up and pulled Hiami to a stand as well.

"May the Pale Tree have mercy on anyone who messes with you, then." He aquiesced, gesturing that they continue on towards the farm homestead.

...

Iedreth couldn't seem to focus on the task at hand, her thoughts were swirling around her head like a whirlpool, spinning and spinning without ever seeming to stop, thought after thought falling into the flow, collapsing on one another until she was nearly dizzy with the effort. Her preoccupation did not go unnoticed, and soon a gently hand was on her cheek, drawing her eyes to Kairith's face.

"You're thinking in circles." He stated. She nodded, her cheeks warming with the contact.

"There is just so much that my mind is trying to make sense of." She admitted, placing her sword back in it's scabbard, having swiped through the last of the bushes in the section adjacent to the farmhouse. "But mostly my mind is... on our mother."

"You haven't felt her either?"

"Not at all." Iedreth mourned, her eyes tearing up. "I'm really worried Kairith, what if something serious happened?"

"I understand how you feel." He replied, his expression troubled. "But I haven't heard back from the Priory, or from Kahedins as of yet. Until we receive word back, there is nothing we can do, expect speculate and drive ourselves mad."

"I know... it's just..." She paused, her eyes wide in fear. "The dragon's voice... it became so much stronger once our mother's voice faded away. What if... What if Mordremoth attacked her?"

"In the grove?" He asked incredulously. "It would have been a bold move. Something tells me almost impossible to pull off. And why bother, really. What could he have to gain?"

Iedreth didn't answer, memories flooding her mind again as she thought back to some of the first instances she remembered the Dragon's voice flooding her mind. The Dream. The soundless Village. The Nightmare Poison. She stopped. The soundless village. The villagers. They cut themselves off from the Pale Tree. They instantly resonated with the Dragon's call. Attacked their fellow Sylvari. She gasped, and took a step back reflexively as all of the dots seemed to connect in her mind.

"Iedreth?" Kairith asked, his hands held out as if to catch her. She faced him, horror on her face.

"Without the Pale Tree... Mordremoth's voice is free to penetrate ever facet of our mind possible." She whispered, the truth of what she said dawning on her. "With the Pale Tree out of the way..." Kairith went rigid, his pale blue eyes seeming to flash.

"He's free to turn the Sylvari into his army of mordrem." The two sylvari looked at each other in horror, before turning to search across the field for Curran and Hiami.

"Well, well, the old man found some help, did he?"

The strange voice seemed to come from nowhere, and both sylvari turned on their heels, drawing weapons and stancing. Surprise flashed across their faces as they saw the aforementioned pirates, at least ten of them, walking up to the farmstead, weapons in hand and greedy faces churning in anticipation. The foremost pirate, a tall, blond male human, with piercing grey eyes and well made leathers, stood arrogantly at the behest of the group, his hands on a large, ornate looking pistol and short-sword, a placid smile on his face.

"Though, I must admit, he makes it far too easy for us to rob him. Plenty of grain. Plenty of food. The man's persistant, I'll give him that." Kairith felt a small surge of anger bloom in his chest at the implication. No wonder the farmer had warned them of the pirates.

"That's incredibly cruel." Iedreth scolded him, her swords held loftily in defense. The man narrowed his eyes at her.

"Well, aren't _you_ somthing to look at." He said pleasantly, choosing not to reply to her, or even acknowledge that she had spoken. She sent him a pointed look of disguest and he laughed, nonplussed.

"And _fiesty_ too. I have to hand it to you plant folk, your spirits are something else." He narrowed his eyes and his face became deadly. "Now, if my math is correct... There's three of you, if we include the old man, and there's twelve of us. Sounds like the odds are not quite in _your_ favor." He smirked, drawing the pistol and pointing it at Kairith.

"Drop the weapons, surrender your goods, and we'll let you skip out before the old man even knows you left." He suggested. Iedreth and Kairith scowled at him.

"What do you take us for?" Kairith asked, nodding imperceptibly at Iedreth. She shifted her eyes in acknowledgement, and shifted her swords quickly, summoning two illusions that rushed at the pirates with swords swinging. Kairith rolled and stealthed, shifting off and confusing the pirates, who immediately started to mutter amoungst themselves. Their blond leader rolled his eyes in exsasperation.

"Don't just _stand_ there, smoke him _out."_ The pirates scrambed around, slashing around in the free air, drawing a delighted giggle from Iedreth, who faced off with the blond leader.

"Don't worry, I'm more than just something to look at." She told him, before hooking her sword under the trigger guard on the pistol and whipping it out of his hand, leaving him with just his short sword.

"Hiami! Curran! You'll miss all the fun!" She called in a sing-song voice, smirking as the pirates blanced, watching as the ex-warden and diminuative asura came bolting over, both already drawing their weapons and hauling themselves across several hundred yards at an unprecidented rate.

" _Finally_ , something less fastidious to conquer." Hiami called out, heaving her greatsword into a graceful arc, slashing one of the smaller human pirates down in one swing, smiling in glee.

"You can handle blood, but not larvae intestines. You are a strange one." Curran commented, drawing out a rather lethal looking hammer, to which some of the pirates took an involuntary step backwards. Hiami beamed at him, her sharp teeth gleaming in the midday sun, before launching herself onto the back of a bulky norn, her greatsword swirling around him like a paring knife.

Curran rushed across to join Kairith as he faced against two Norn and an asura, his daggers keeping the asura at a distance, but doing little to persuade the Norn to back off. The Revenant slammed down his hammer, shifting the reality of the ground to make it uneven beneath their feet. As they scrambled to regain footing, Curran swung, hard, and knocked the closest Norn, a bulky female with an eyepatch, right off her feet and slamming into the ground with a satisfying _thunk_. Distracted by his comrades fall, the other norn took a dagger to the side, crying out as the small thief dove in an out and around, slashing up the bulky pirate as he stood in confusion.

The small asura, in his confusion, tried to aim his pistol at the thief, but couldn't get a good aim, as he was moving too swiftly. Taking a chance, he shot, and instead of hitting the thief, hit his comrade square in the thigh, causing the gargantuan man to stumble to the ground, grabbing at his leg and cursing up and down.

Curran laughed and swung the hammer again, missing the asura by an inch, and then slammed it into the ground with a heavy _crunch_ , sending the pirate flying into the sky, before landing awkwardly and scrambling off, past his comrades and towards the water. Curran and Kairith turned to assess the female's situation, and were not surprised to find that both were holding their own well. Hiami had already dispatched a rather imposing looking Norn, and was currently dueling with a red toned sylvari wielding a greatsword of her own, and Iedreth was making a complete fool out of the leader of the pirates.

She danced around him, her illusions spinning and casting and swiping, sword after sword after sword twirled around the bewildered captain, his short sword blocking a few blows, but not able to contend with all of the mesmer's illusions, who shattered upon command, dazing him and sending him stumbling after every slash, finally tripping and falling onto his back, his expression beyond disbelief.

"I'd suggest you move on, _before_ she kills you." Curran said, nodding his head towards the rest of the pirate crew, already stumbling, running, or crawling away towards the water. The Captain grimaced, and, sending a parting glower at the four adventurers, stumbled to his feet, before taking off at a run to his crew, screaming at them for their cowardice.

"Aww... I was hoping they'd play a bit longer." Hiami pouted. Curran laughed and scooped her up, allowing her to settle onto his shoulder.

"Don't worry, I think you and Iedreth terrified them enough for one lifetime." Kairith joked, shaking his head before linking hands with Iedreth. Milton Brooks walked up to them, a look of pure incredulity on his face.

"I don't believe it." He said, slightly slack jawed. "That boy's been committing all sorts of atrocities around the coast with his crew, and you all come around here and make him look like a pansy!" He laughed, a hearty and deep sound. "Well I'll be. You've earned a good hot meal and a place to stay the night. Come on in, folks." He gestured for them to follow him and they trailed behind, smiles on their faces at the events of the day.

...

 **Welp, another chapter down! Tried to keep this one pretty light, the only fighting in it was easily dealt with for Iedreth's crew, (Or is it Hiami's Krewe? Am I right? Just kidding, they haven't set up the logistics of the branch of research they are even attempting, but, perhaps in the future, no? ;P) Anyhooo! I hope you enjoyed the chapter, and I will have another one for you all soon! (I hope)**


	16. Ghosts of the Past

Purpose: Chapter 16: Ghosts of the Past

...

The sun was bright in Gendarran Fields, and Fort Salma was untouched since the attack, the walls still inlaid with dead vines and cracks within the insulation and stone that precluded the massacre inside. They were supposed to be meeting up with an explorer by the name of Campbell, who they'd sent to verify the remains of the fort and find out what was salvageable. She'd been sent with the side quest to investigate rumor that there was strange activity going on inside, some of the local townsfolk had mentioned hearing piercing screams, seeing strange lights or smelling cannon powder in the night, odd noises and objects moving around the fort that hand't been touched since the attack. It was enough to unsettle the Seraph, most of whom refused to step foot in the fort without a direct order.

That left Eileria, Marjory and Kasmeer to explore freely.

The silence during the day was nearly deafening, as no one stood at the fort any longer, and they peered around the establishment, looking for signs that the explorer had been there.

They heard a high pitched shriek and immediately began to run towards it.

Eileria had been to Ascalon and seen ghosts for herself. She knew that, sometimes, human spirits lingered on the plane of normal existance, not resigning themselves to the mists as some did, most occuring after being ripped from their bodies unexpectedly, or suddenly. She'd fought the ghosts of Ascolon too, and knew that their inner rage, their confusion, their hate, is what bound them to the earth until permanantly being lain to rest.

These ghosts were not born of rage, but of confusion.

The seraphs spirits stalked the grounds, weapons out and shields in hand, their eyes scanning the Fort for threats that had long since passed. Eileria felt a pang of sorrow for these soldiers. Soldiers that didn't even know they were dead. Had no idea they would never return to their families, their friends. She unsheathed her blade, allowing the metal to scrape against the scabbard on purpose, drawing the attention of the spirits.

"Let's split up, search for the explorer. Lay these seraph to rest." Eileria said, holding her sword out before her. Marjory and Kasmeer replied at the same time, "Right!" And went running off, leaving the capable mesmer to face the two fallen Seraph.

"It's a mordrem, we need to drive it back!" One seraph spoke, her echoed voice strong as it had been in life. "Once we take it down we need to regroup with the others!" Eileria's brow furrowed as the two seraph attacked her, their blades sharp and reflexes unmatched. Why did they think she was a mordrem? Could they not see that she was just a sylvari?

Apparently they could _not_ as their attacks did not cease, though she parried and dodged endlessly, a dance between a mesmer and seraph. She summoned two clones and rolled off to the side, confusing them momentarily.

"Seraph! It's alright, there are no mordrem here!" Eileria called out to them. They ignored her words, as if she hadn't even spoken. She continued to block, realizing quickly that she was going to have to stop being defensive and start being _offensive_ in order to defeat them spirits, and lay them to rest. Her blades moved like swaths of color in the wind, nearly invisible to the Seraph, but they soon began to succumb to her attacks, losing ground and seeming to struggle to keep their weapons up against the onslaught of attacks from the mesmer's blades.

She was to deal the final blow when she heard a voice she never thought she would ever hear again, shouting across the terrace, causing her to wrench her gaze away from her enemy and towards the North tower of the fort.

"Don't give up! We can defeat these Mordrem!" Called Seraph Belinda Delaqua. Eileria's eyes widened as she caught sight of the fallen Seraph's spirit, her eyes blank and body transparent. She leaned over the wall, her face turned towards the seraph past the walls. Eileria only broke focus for a moment; the Seraph she had been fighting seemed to be bolstered by the words of the deceased Delaqua, and they came at her again, renewed vigor and focus causing her to misstep an dtake a blade to the arm. She seethed, twisting and shifting into another illusion, before attempting to wear them down again, her frustration fighting with her concentration.

Another scream alerted her to her purpose here, and she summoned another illusion, setting them to shatter against her opponents, finally ending their attacks and sending them, disoriented, to their knees.

They blinked, shaking their heads before furrowing their brows as they looked at her, confusion alight on their faces.

"C-commander?"One said, her echoed voice soft. "Wh... Why are... The Mordrem-"

"It's alright, soldier." Eileria said kindly, kneeling down and setting her hands on their slowly fading shoulders. "You can rest now. You've done your duty. Your Queen is proud of you." The two Seraph smiled, saluting her, before fading away completely. She stood, running to the other side of the fort where Marjory and Kasmeer had headed, taking a left turn to find a commanding Seraph standing over a very terrified explorer that Eileria guessed was their missing Campbell. She rushed ahead, blinking across the space as Campbell screamed, shielding her eyes as the Seraph raised her blade to strike a final blow at the terrified girl. Eileria slid in between the two and parried the blade, a deafening _shiiiink_ when the blades met.

The commanding seraph's eyes widened as she stepped back, her face wrenched in determination.

"We won't fall to you, mordrem!" She cried, charging for Eileria. The mesmer shifted, stealthing for a moment while an illusion took her place. She swung her sword against the back of the seraph, setting her off balance and allowing her time to roll out of the way of the swinging broadsword, and shifting into a new stance, summoning two more clones. The seraph spirit grit her teeth in frustration, charging with a battle cry at each of the clones, her blade swinging erratically. Eileria disappeared in a flash of butterflies and sliced through the back of the ghost, causing her to stop her assault.

Eileria's remaining clones shattered against the transluscent being and she staggered, onto her knees, breathing heavily. Eileria sheathed her swords, and turned as she heard running footsteps behind her.

"Commander!" Kasmeer cried out, skidding to a halt, out of breath, next to Marjory. The Ghost turned to them.

"Rest, soldier."Eileria said calmly, watching as the Seraph faded out of existance.

"Campbell, are you alright?" Marjory asked, lifting up the explorer. She brushed herself off, looking between the three.

"I'm fine, now." She replied. "Those Seraph's spirits were convinced I was a mordrem! There was nothing I could say to change their minds..." She shivered. Eileria turned to face Marjory.

"Marjory, there's something you need to know-"

"Stand down Mordrem! We will never surrender!" A flash of ethereal blue flitted down to the cobblestone walkway, the image of Belinda Delaqua rushing at them, her eyes furious and stance strong. Marjory was shocked for only a moment, before steeling herself, walking forward and holding up a hand, staring into the spirit of her sister's eyes, and saying, "Enough! Stand down Belinda Jane Delaqua!"

The spirit stopped, her mouth gaping open and legs bent as if to run. She blinked, tilting her head as if she couldn't believe what she was seeing.

"Marjie?" She said softly, relaxing her stance, looking around the Fort. "But... Where are all the Mordrem?"

"It's okay, Belinda. I'm here now. It's okay. _Your_ okay." Her voice wavered, and from her position, Eileria could see that tears were lining the necromancer's eyes, threatening to spill over. The ghost of her sister walked forward, her face impassive as she watched her sister.

"You did good, Marjie." She said, her echoed voice choked, looking deeply into her sisters eyes. "You brought my sword." She said, eyeing the blade on her back. Marjory nodded, placing a hand on the hilt.

"I promise that I will take care of it."

"When darkness overwhelms you, I'll rend your enemies before they can harm you. Until the day you die, I'll be with you. My love for you, little sister, is everlasting." She walked back a step, and did a cursery bow, looking to her sister again.

"Show me the blade."

Marjory pulled the blade swiftly from it's scabbard and held it out on two hands, her face focused. Belinda stepped forward, sending a final smile her sister's way. She then reached out to touch the blade, slowly disappearing, her very essence infusing itself with the blade, until nothing remained but the still air. Marjory's shoulders caved as she sucked in a deep breath, her eyes shut tight as she fought the emotion built up within her. Once she was calm, she turned heel to face Kasmeer and Eileria.

"Jory... Are you alright?" Marjory nodded, her eyes still trained on the blade.

"She... Belinda... She fused her spirit with the sword." Kasmeer blinked in awe, her eyes too looking to the blade.

"Are you okay?"

"Yes. I think so." She replied, finally sheathing the sword. There is still so much that needs to be done..."

"Where are you headed next?" Eileria asked.

"We'll be headed to the Priory headquarters to do some reading." Kasmeer said, gently placing a hand on the necromancer's shoulder.

"It's just the kind of enviroment I need right now." Marjory added. "It will keep my mind off things and... allow us to focus on Mordremoth." The bare determination in her face gave Eileria the feeling that they were making progress. Mordremoth's free reign would be very short lived. She nodded, turning to the explorer.

"And you?"

"I will also be headed back to the Priory." She replied, still shaken from the attack. "If you ever find yourself there, please, don't hesitate to come find me!"

Eileria smiled, and bid her farewell to the three, before shifting her gaze to the south. The sun still high in the sky, she began her journey down Gendarran Fields, needing some time to think.

...

The morning light filtered through the window and onto Iedreth's face in the early morning. She peeked her eyes open very slightly, and stretched out, allowing herself to wake up slowly. Milton Brooks had allowed them to stay for a few days, she suspected to discourage the pirates from returning, not that they needed a second beating, but they didn't mind. They still hadn't received any word back from the Grove or either Kairith or Curran's orders, and though it was concerning, they didn't feel it would be well to go too far from their location in case a response flew in with in next few days. If it didn't, the contingency plan was to go to the Grove and get word first hand.

Iedreth sat up, leaning on her elbows and looking over to her left, to see Kairith, still asleep on his stomach, the sung not having touched his skin yet. She smiled, before quietly getting up and padding lightly over to the door, shutting it behind her.

Hiami and Curran were already awake, though looking groggy, and the kind farmer was sitting at the table with a mug of coffee, skimming through a little worn book. Iedreth slid into a little chair at the table and the man smiled at her kindly.

"Good morning." He greeted her. "We have a late sleeper eh?" He asked, referring to Kairith.

"He is a night bloom." She said vaguely. Curran looked over at her but made no comment, turning his attention back to the exorbitantly pink asura who was explaining something about thermocaustic regeneration in a logbook that Iedreth could swear she'd never seen before.

"Do you understand anything that she says?" Milton asked curiously. Iedreth laughed, smiling at the little Asura.

"Sometimes. She's very intelligent." Curran nodded at something she said and pointed to the book, asking about the validaty of the equation. Hiami looked surprised, peering at the equation wide eyed, before making big erasure marks on her paper and looking rather cross. Iedreth chuckled beneath her breath, and accepted a cool cup of water from the farmer.

"I take it you have plans to move on today?" He asked. Iedreth nodded, spinning the cup in her hand idly.

"It is best we be moving on, there are plenty of areas that are suffering. We can help, you know?" Milton nodded, stroking his beard thoughtfully.

"I'll pack you all some provisions, it's the least I can do for all the help you have given us here." He told her. She smiled.

"Thank you for that."

"My pleasure." He replied gruffly. The east door creaked open and Kairith stepped through, his eyes still closed and a yawn on his lips as he walked in, sitting down beside Iedreth and placing his head in his hands.

"What happened to my days of night." He grumbled, popping one eye open to look over at Hiami and Curran, who were immersed in her book of formulas. Iedreth tilted her head at the thief, her expression sweet.

"You've become a day-walker." Iedreth stated with mirth. She laughed, with the farmer joining in. Kairith grumbled slightly but smiled nonetheless, turning to adress the asura and sylvari in the corner of the room instead.

"Hey, have you gotten any word back?"

Curran paused his debate with Hiami to look up at Kairith.

"I haven't received word from _anywhere_. Have you?" Kairith shook his head.

"It takes the priory some time to respond, especially if there are multiple factors to consider." Curran nodded and stood, walking over to the window and peering out.

"We should be clear to travel North East, towards Snowblind Peaks." He continued, his eyes still focused outside. "Whatever correspondance we can expect will make it to us there. Though, if we _are_ going to head that way, we're going to need to make a supply stop." Iedreth and Hiami exchanged slightly confused looks, and the burl toned sylvari turned back to look at them.

"It's called snowblind peaks for a reason." He explained. "It will be very cold."

...

Bryna was losing her patience, and she was losing it fast.

The Silverwastes was all abuzz with activity, but every last bit of it was _disorganized._ Priory magisters and scholars conversed at tables splattered with maps, notes and utencils that looked like they belonged in a classroom, not on a potential battlefield. Vigil troops, new and seasoned, marched, doing _drills_ of all things, ignoring the pointed looks from other order personnel or pact members, their joint efforts practically screaming "Discipline". The order of Whispers was by far irritating her the most. They hovered over different sections of the mass chaos, but contributed little, seeming only to be cataloging the information for later.

She was about to start shouting out her frustrations when she felt a thick hand on her shoulder. She turned to see Braham giving her a knowing look.

"This is normal, for the Pact." He reminded her. "Disorganized chaos is how they function."

"I would hardly call it _functioning_." She growled, peering around. "You'd think we were still trying to keep secrets from one another. We appear more divided than united."

"Unfortunately old habits die hard for most." Rox cut in, her green eyes narrowing slightly as she scanned the platforms. "I haven't spotted him yet. Have either of you had any luck?" Bryna sent another cursury glance around the area, but did not spot the Pact Marshall anywhere, least of all the Vigil Warmaster Laranthir that seemed to trail him like a shadow.

"Not yet." Braham answered after a pause. "I'm sure he's making his rounds. We would probably have better luck climbing to the top of the platform and trying to sniff him out that way." Rox and Bryna turned their eyes to the tall platform and shrugged.

"I sure as the mists don't have any other ideas." Bryna said, already moving towards the steep staircase. They ascended quickly, bypassing several strategists and soldiers, who hardly spared them a passing glance as they continued on with their conversations. The platform was nearly empty, a table set to the overlooking bars, papers stacked neatly, some marked up heavily with charcoal, large 'X's and circles around Maguuma's unfinished map. Sloppy scrawl lay along the edges, and coordinates were marked in the margins.

Bryna stepped close to the edge and peered over, shielding her eyes from the midday sun and searching for a familiar head of green and brown leaves, scanning each group and inbetween.

"Anything?" Rox asked again. Bryna shook her head, and Braham copied her action once his scan of the east side was complete.

"That man is far too popular for his own good." Bryna grumbled.

"I do tend to draw a lot of attention, don't I?"

Trahearne stepped off of the last step on the Western steps, a small, but sharp looking asura walking beside him, her pink eyes and silver hair sharp and cutting as her expression.

"Marshall." Bryna greeted, inclining her head.

"Bryna Cloud. Braham Eirsson. Rox. May I introduce to you Phyla? She's come from Rata Sum to assist in the war effort. She was an impeccable elementalist back in the day; She'll be assisting me directly with the plans to begin our descent into Maguuma's depths."

"It appears that you are assembling quite the war-team, then." Bryna commented. Trahearne nodded, and opened his mouth to speak, but a new voice spoke instead, causing them all to turn in surprise.

"Well, it will be, once the rest of Destiny's edge decides to show up." Eir Stagalkin and Logan Thackery stood, side by side, battle dressed and wary, as they regarded the group before them. Bryna frowned. If Destiny's edge was being roped in to this...

She sighed, pushing her thoughts to the side. There would be time for worry. After the Dragon was dead.

...

 **Whelp, thats all for this weekend folks! I hope you have enjoyed the influx of chapters! Hopefully I'll have more soon! 3 thanks for reading, as always!**


	17. Answers

Purpose Chap.17: Answers

...

"We should head further south." Curran advised, pointing at their spread out map and tracing his finger along the coast. "There is plenty to do along here, and quite a bit of exploring as well. It would do us some good to be back into warmer weather, I think."

The group was huddled in a small cave, braving out the harsh cold snow that blew against the entrace with a fierce roar, its chill wild and untamed. They all wore thick furs sold to them by Norn Merchants nearing the snowy mountainside, and yet even then the bitter chill seemed to pierce through and the snow continued to pile up outside, threatening to strand them inside. Hiami was nearly swimming in her set of furs, they were wrapped around her twice, and she was tinkering with something under them, her cheeks bright pink with the bite of the cold. Iedreth and Kairith had started a small fire in the center of the cave, and set down their packs and settled in around it, peering over at the map as Curran pointed out travel routes.

"Bloodtide coast?" Kairith asked, peering at the section Curran pointed to. "A lot of pirate activity there, I've heard."

"More than enough to keep us busy, I believe." Curran replied. "I've been only once. They run rampant around those parts. Many innocent folks are in need of assistance through there."

"Then I think we should go." Iedreth chimed in, drawing her cloak of furs closer. "A change of scenery won't hurt." The three Sylvari peered out the cave entrace as a violent gust of wind crashed against the edges of their shelter. Hiami looked up, startled.

"This wind is extirpating what little concentration I am maintaining." She grumbled, peering back down into her furs.

"What are you doing, anyway?" Kairith asked, raising a brow at the little pink creature. She looked at him, and blinked, before wiggling a little, all of the furs sliding off around her. In her hands was a small blueish tinted box that was translucent, a strange metal disk inside at the bottom and energy capsules on the outside. She set it down and lifted a small hunting knift up, balancing a charred piece of wood with a little bit of flame still engulfing it, and hunked it into the box, closing the lid.

The boxes corners and edges glowed a strangely calming white hue, before a gentle humming was heard from the box, and a wave of warmth seemed to envelope them.

"It won't last indefinitely, but it should suffice for us to rejuvinate ourselves without being disrupted." She announced, slightly smugly, as she set it on the ground and settled herself into the furs.

"What?" She asked, bewildered by their incredulous gazes. "What did you think I was doing in here?"

"I'm more curious as to where you retreived the materials to _make_ it." Iedreth replied. "Did you have all those materials already in your bag?"

"I'll confess, I already had a basic prototype in my bag, it's collapsable, so it is easily storable in the narrowest of spaces." Hiami replied. "I've been testing out a new theory involving thermal radiation waves; trying to synthesize heat across a small space, something that will make coal and wood fires obsolete. The less chance of something catching on fire, the better."

"How do you find time to do all this?' Kairith asked in disbelief. "You always seem so..."

"Preoccupied?" She chirped. "Certainly. It is within my nature to be compositly preoccupied virtually every waking moment. I'm always tinkering away at _something._ Though this, I'll admit, was not entirely my idea."

"Whose was it?" Curran asked, joining the conversation. Hiami looked up at him, her bright pink eyes holding a strange expression.

"It was my paternal progenitor's theorum. I just built and expanded upon it. His original schematics followed a basic pattern, which was easy enough to expand upon, however there are pages upon pages of schematics, theories, formulas... all gone. Again, speculation, but they were likely destroyed in the laboratory explosion at the Inquest base years ago. I'll never know the _exact_ purpose he was devising, but it gives me a bit of pride to be working on the legacy of one of my originators."

"It seems like you have a lot of respect for your..." Curran trailed off, trying to think of a word that wouldn't come across as unsavory. "Father? Despite you never having known him."

"I do have respect for his vision, if nothing else." She replied, not seeming phased by the casualness with which the Sylvari referred to parents. "It is too bad that I will never have the chance to cross-examine his ideology or provision counter-methods in regards to the thermal radio-waves." All three Sylvari blinked at her, and she smiled sheepishly.

"In short, I will just have to make due with the materials I have been given." She snuggled into her batch of furs, closing her eyes. "I'd get some rest if I were you. We'll want to be moving on once the thermonaumic-generator discontinues emmitting heat waves."

"Sounds fair." Iedreth replied, leaning onto Kairith's shoulder tiredly. "I'm sure we'll have lots of travelling to do come morning." The group settled in to sleep, the cold wind howling in the dark.

... Later...

Iedreth woke to the sound of an echoing silence. She sat up, rubbing her eyes and peering blearily around the cave, her eyes stopping at each of her companions before looking to the entrance, where a small hawk, one she recognized, though barely, as Curran's ruffling it's feathers in irritation and making small sqwaking noises. She padded over quietly and held out an arm, to which the creature flew up, perching upon her arm and offering it's leg, a tightly wound scroll tied to it. She quickly removed the parchment, nodding to the creature which lifted off without warning, heading into the sunrise. She peeked out of the cave, and noted that the storm had indeed lifted, the sky a pleasant peachy pink color, and the clouds fluffy and volumnous as they lazily drifted across the sky.

She walked over to where Curran was asleep, his body curled in such a way that Hiami was blocked off, very protectively, and shook his shoulder gently, earning a confused look as his eyes shifted open infintessimly.

"What is it?" He asked, his voice hoarse. She didn't reply, instead handing him the parchment, expecting him to understand. He sat up, suddenly more alert, and untied the scroll, peeling back the wax seal before unrolling it and peering at its contents in bated silence for a few moments. When he lowered the paper, his expression was grim.

"It's as we feared." He said lowly. "Our mother has been greatly injured in an attack by something they called 'The Shadow of the Dragon'. She's been unresponsive for a few days since the attack, only answering seldomly. Many Sylvari are making a pilgrimage home to be at her side. It took longer than usual to get to my contact because of the influx of activity in the Grove." Iedreth knew it shouldn't hurt her physically, hearing that her mother had been injured so, especially since she'd already had a feeling. But it still felt as if she had been punched in the mouth, a blow that left her nearly gasping for air.

Kairith seemed to awaken in response to her panic, his arms wrapping around her, strong and calm, as she trembled.

"I had a feeling." The thief replied, his voice grim. "I've always been able to feel her presense. Hear her voice. A few days ago though..."

"Yes, I've feared the same." Curran replied. "My contact has told me the Pact is going for a direct assault on Mordremoth. They're taking in stock of what they have, taking volunteers from all over Tyria. Many are already making their way to the silverwastes."

"Has he become that strong already?" Iedreth asked mournfully, her pink eyes glistening with unshed tears. "Why now? Why our mother?"

"I don't know for sure," Kairith said slowly. "But I think... I think he knew she was the link. The chink in our armor. This dragon... his intelligence is intense."

Hiami shifted, yawning and turning her half lidded eyes to the three sylvari sleepily.

"Well then... we'll just have to..." She yawned, her sharp teeth glinting in the red sunlight. "Be more astute than the overgrown reptilian-draconite." She sat up, leaning her head sleepily against Curran's arm. "But the Silverwastes is quite a journey from here. Traveling to Bloodtide Coast to pursue rations and supplies would be more efficient than merely showing up to help the pact fight."

"As much as I hate to say it, I agree." Curran said, his brow furrowing. "It doesn't sit well with me to leave so many to take the burden of fighting the elder dragon directly, but we'll do no good there as we are now."

"What do you mean?" Iedreth asked, her eyes innocently looking between him and Kairith.

"I think he is refferring to your probity and lack of perspicacity." Hiami chimed in innocently. "You cannot delve into lands you've not travelled in before and just swing your swords around. It takes discipline, training. Things we can do, but only with time."

"She's right." Kairith said. "Even if we wanted to help the Pact now, you most certainly could not go as you are now. It's nothing against you, but... people die with years more experience than what you have. We have to prepare you before you can go into the thick of it." Iedreth pouted, her eyes on the floor. She had thought she'd been doing so well!

"It's not that you aren't learning quickly, Iedreth." Kairith interrupted her moping. "It's more that... well, it's difficult. We need you to be in top form. The dangers there are very real. Other's lives are on the line." Iedreth knew what he was saying was true, but she felt helpless in that moment, and the helplessness nearly overwhelmed her.

 _Yes... Come to Maguuma my child... Here, you will be more useful than you could ever imagine. Those fools could_ never _stop you._

Iedreth gasped and involuntarily cradled her head in her hands, eyes wide and mouth parted as she tried to mentally bar off the voice. The dragon would take use of every advantage it could get, including trying to make her mutinous. She could not allow it. She had to be sure... Had to know she was in one hundred percent control of herself when they joined the assault of the elder dragon. There could be no time for questioning loyalties.

A voice in her mind hissed.

"Alright." She replied, ignoring the concerned looks from Curran and Kairith. "Let's continue south like we planned. I can't stop learning now. We have to continue on."

"Give it some time and we'll have you killing mordrem in no time." Curran joked. Iedreth beamed at him. Hiami stretched up, pulling her pile of furs and latching them to herself.

"Then let's depart, I'm already tired of the cold." She chirped, practically sprinting to the mouth of the cave. Iedreth smiled, pulling her furs closer as well before following the little pink asura out of the mouth of the cave and into the beaming sunlight.

The group travelled to Bloodtide coast through a chasm that yielded little to no activity from anything living, or otherwise, and they made good time going across the bay leading into Stormbluff Isle. They made minimal conversation upon reaching the isle, finding it devoid of much, and settled in to rest before continuing on the next leg of their journey.

In the time they were stationary, a small bird, unfamiliar to Iedreth's eyes, came swooping in, a rolled parchment on it's leg. It dove straight for Hiami's pink dreadlocks, nuzzling into them and chirping happily. Hiami groaned, before reaching up and plucking the chirping creature from her hair.

"Great. She sent a letter." She deadpanned, taking the parchment and releasing the bird to fly free.

"Who?" Iedreth asked as Hiami rolled the scroll open, her face openly exsasperated.

"My maternal progenitor." Hiami replied, her pink eyes scanning the scroll quickly, before slowing down and coming to a complete stop, where they widened, and the paper crinkled in her hands as the tension seemed to envelope her.

"Hiami? What is it?" Iedreth asked, trying to figure out where the asura's sudden distress had come from. The diminuative warrior didn't seem to know how to answer at first.

"My... by the alchemy... my paternal progenitor has been spotted, zoetically, here in Bloodtide coast. There's no possible manner with which she could have known that we were headed here..." She didn't seem to be answering Iedreth's question, moreso talking to herself, her wide eyes still drawn to a spot on the page she held. Iedreth peeked over her shoulder to see a sketch of an older looking asura, a jagged scar across his cheeks and a dull unimpressed expression inhabiting his face.

"It's just a sketch, though." Iedreth pointed out.

"Done by a security rig golem." Hiami corrected, her voice ringing higher than normal. "They are programmed to sketch to an accuracy of ninety seven point four percent. This is the face of the asura who copulated with my maternal progenitor and conceived me. I would not be able to mistake that visage anywhere." Her panicked voice rose even higher into histeria.

"Hiami, deep breath." Came Curran's calm voice, forcing her to lower the paper and lifting her chin to force her to meet his gaze. "You need to stay calm." Hiami sucked in a shaky breath before letting it all out in a gust, shaking her head and pinching the bridge of her nose.

"Alright... I'll think this through logically...even if we were to come across my paternal begetter, it is doubtful he would incite a conflict. Even prior to his fabricated death, he was known to be rather non-confrontational." Her voice was oddly uneven, and Curran's face was still trained on her, watching carefully.

"I just... I dont... _Why?"_ She asked, her wide eyes becoming even wider. " _Why_ would he still be with them? Could it mean..."

"Hiami, please, talk to us. Fill us in. We don't understand." Iedreth told her, leaning down to put a gently hand on her shoulder. Hiami seemed unable to organize her thoughts, her eyes skittering left and right.

"I recall I told you what happened, a lab fire. Inquest kidnapping. My maternal progenitor penned that he was spotted near an underwater laboratory facility with the Inquest. He did not appear to be putting up a struggle. It bodes ill that he would be willingly cooperating with Inquest. His brilliance is one of stories, even in Rata Sum."

"There are inquest bases here?" Kairith asked, peering off into the distance as if one might magically appear.

"Underwater research facility. It may be difficult to locate without asking the locals, considering the ratio of water to landmass here."

For a moment there was silence. Curran straightened out suddenly, turning his eyes away and facing the east, towards a platform overlooking the bay.

"What would you do, if you were to face him again?" He asked, his voice taking on a peculiar tone. Hiami looked at him, her brow furrowing and her eyes narrowing slightly, as if trying to see through him.

"I am not sure. Though I _can't_ guarentee it would be decorous." She paused for a moment, really thinking on it.

"I suppose I would allow him a moment to explain himself. And then he would need to be grindlocked before he could cause any subversion within Tyria's populace."

Curran's brows pulled together, and he took a few steps forward, continuing to look east.

" I may know someone who could help." He said hesitantly. "Just be warned... She can have a bit of an attitude." He glanced Hiami's way with a short smile, and she looked at him curiously.

"Agent Xinn isn't known for her patience. She stands the watch in a cave east of here. She may know where to find the Inquest base."

"Agent... Whispers?" Kairith asked. Curran nodded.

"Yes." Curran replied curtly, his expression strange.

"No offense, but Inquest, despite their general lack of dissimulation into their enviroment most times, would not be as easily detectable here. Would we truly be able to trust this... Agent Xinn?"

"Well, it's the only lead to go off of." Curran replied, beginning to walk. "It can't hurt, right?"

...

"Caith, No!" Eileria reached for the thief but she had already vanished, her face torn between trust and betrayal as she shadowstepped into the abyss, leaving Eileria and her friends confused and baffled at the turn their journey had taken. The others had already turned their focus to the corpse of the Master of Peace. Eileria did not even turn. The body of the man who had held the egg in his regard was no longer holding anything for them. Their last hope, stolen away with hardly a word, by her mentor. Her friend. She couldn't tear her eyes away from the space where she'd disappeared, her eyes still wide as she spread her magic to try to search for some trace of the thiefs presense.

"He's dead." Rox said, her voice gruff. Eileria turned slowly, painfully, to look at her group, all of whoms eyes were drawn to the lifeless eyes of the once guardian of Glint's Legacy.

"Yes." Eileria said softly, leaning down and closing his eyes, staying bent down, the reality of what had just occured hitting her.

"Caithe ran off with the egg." Marjory said to break the silence. All but the sylvari mesmer turned to face her.

"But why would she-"

"I don't know, but it doesn't say anything good." Marjory said grimly. "I mean... she is a sylvari." Eileria turned to the necromancer sharply, her gaze penetrating.

"And?" Eileria asked, her voice like ice. Marjory stepped back uncomfortably for a moment.

"Well nothing, I just... She wouldn't be the _first_ sylvari to just... well, run off-"

"She didn't do this under the influence of Mordremoth." Eileria cut her off, standing, her fists clenched. She needed answers, not more questions. It seemed like no matter where they made a turn, they were sent hurtling backwards, and it was really starting to weigh down on her. How were they going to fight the dragon when they couldn't even trust their own?

"I know it's just..."

"She had a reason. I don't know why, but... I just know." Eileria recalled the look in the thiefs eyes as she shadowstepped. It wasn't the look of someone who had been hijacked by the dragon's will. No. Her expression was pure duty. Pure _torture_ that she knew, Caithe had a reason.

But Eileria couldn't help but think it had better be a damned good one to take away a facet of her wyld hunt.

"We need to follow after her." Rox suggested, her eyes trained warily on the commander's face. "The trail will grow cold if we wait too long."

"I agree... Kas, Braham, can you stay and give the Master a proper send off? It wouldn't be right to leave him like this..."

"Absolutely." Kasmeer replied, leaning down to weaver her magic around the body.

"Right. We'll finish up here and then...?"

They all looked to the Sylvari mesmer, whose eyes were again trained on the space between.

"Then we go to the Grove." She replied, her eyes narrowing. "Whatever answers we need... we will find them there. Of this, I have no doubt."

...

A bit of a shorter chapter this week folks, I apologize for not getting it out sooner, this week has been extremely busy, and I've been working some long days (13-14 hours every day, it's killer lol) So I haven't had much time to work on this. But! I have a direction, just need to get there! Ah! If anyone is interested in seeing the characters drawn out, please feel free to visit my Deviantart at .com, or visit my Tumblr page .com. Thank you all so much for your support, I hope you enjoy the story so far, and thank you to those of you that have reviewed, I appreciate it every time I read them! 3 Till next time!


	18. Familiar Faces

Purpose Chapter 18: Familiar Faces

The Northeastern side of the island was a narrow slope as they circled around, where Curran led them to a small cave entrance, his body language tense and careful. Hiami was perched on his shoulder, peering around her surroundings with little to no actual regard, her eyes vacant and listless. Kairith seemed at edge, his eyes constantly shifting between the placid water and the tepid landscape, his body shifting subconciously between a crouch and a normal walking stance. Iedreth was at the back of the group, observing each of her friends with careful eyes.

Whispers continued to plague her as they walked, a relentless assault of temptations.

They came around to the entrance of the cave when Curran came to a complete stop, reaching around to his hammer and swinging it down to slamp into the ground with a resounding echo.

For a moment, there was confusion. Then, a shadow seemed to materialize before a small figure popped out of seemingly nowhere, the stature clearly an Asura, clothed in the leather armor in rich red and gold, clearly a member of the order of whispers. Her purple eyes were wide and searching, their irridescent hues almost glowing in the lack of light that penetrated the cave, and her clawed hands were settled upon her hips, and she gazed at each of their number in turn, before settling her gaze on Curran.

"Agent Curran, a pleasant surprise." She greeted in a raspy voice. "I see you have brought some... interesting, company."

"My travelling companions." Curran replied, gesturing to each in turn as he introduced them. Xinn nodded at each, before stopping at Iedreth, her eyes narrowing slightly.

"Hmm..." The tiny agent sauntered over to the albino sylvari, circling her, her purple eyes searching her up and down.

"Um..." Iedreth said nervously, clasping her hands to her chest in confusion.

"I apologize for being forthright, but I am a dynamistician." The agent told her, coming to a stop directly in front of her. She turned her face to Curran.

"What is it you seek, Curran?" She asked.

"It's been some time since I last travelled through here. Have you received any word of an Inquest base of operations cropping up?" Xinn's eyes widenened in what looked to be surprise as she evaluated the small pink Asura perched on his shoulder, who was assessing agent Xinn with some curiousity.

"Looking to find some Inquest, eh?" She asked, turning her gaze back to the mesmer, whose pink eyes were locked onto purple ones.

"An underwater laboratory research facility to be exact." Hiami chirped, her wide pink eyes trained on the asura. "Surely you know of at least one."

"Perhaps." The agent replied, her eyes shifting into narrow slits. Curran groaned, making Hiami and Kairith pull their eyes to him questioningly. "But... if you want that information... I'd like to fight _her."_ Her little clawed finger pointed to Iedreth.

"Me?" Iedreth squeaked, her eyes wide with bewilderment.

"Yes." the asura stated, taking a few steps back and drawing two daggers. "You see, I can _see_ your internal currents. It's hard to explain, though as a mesmer, you should understand. I want you to do battle with me, so that I might see the ebb of light and dark energies that flow through me. Once I am satisfied, I will give you the information you seek."

Iedreth drew her swords slowly, but paused when Kairith placed a hand on her shoulder.

"You don't have to fight her, if you don't want to." He told her quietly, shooting the asura a pointed look. "We could always go somewhere else to get the information."

"No." Iedreth said, shooting a glance at Hiami, who was clinging to Curran's shoulder, her knuckles white with the strain. "I'll do it. I can do this." Kairith nodded, taking a few steps back, his hands on his daggers in case he needed to intervene. Iedreth took a deep breath and crouched into her stance, her blades held aloft and at the ready. She channeled her magic through them, using them to focus on the small asuran thief before her.

"Darkness is not neccessarily the absensce of light." Agent Xinn said quietly, before shadow stepping and beginning her assault. Iedreth quickly parried a blow coming from her left, before rolling and conjouring a clone, shifting to block another blade as it came to rest near her shoulder. She seethed with effort and shifted, sweeping her leg out and forcing the Whisper's agent to jump back, her blades shifting in her hands as she shadowstepped again, her steps so light they were inaudible. Iedreth counjoured another clone, using it to stealth herself so she could concentrate on tracing the thiefs aura.

The asura sidestepped a slashing blade from the clone before jumping out of the way, though not before a slash of Iedreth's blade cut through the tough leather on her arm, and skidding to a halt a few feet away.

"Interesting indeed..." Xinn said, stepping into stealth again and slashing her blades through one of the mesmer clones, sending it shattering into non-existance. The other clone charged at the thief, and Iedreth concentrated on it shattering, causing the whisper's agent to stumble and blink erratically in confusion.

Iedreth rolled out of stealth and held her blade to Xinn's neck, her breathing heavy as she locked eyes with her. Xinn's eyes were wide and impressed. She stepped back, and lowered herself in a bow.

"Very well. Thank you, for allowing me to see your energies." Xinn sheathed her daggers and stepped back to where she had originally popped out from thin air, her purple eyes surveying the area. "I can tell this much... you are destined for something great. You will make changes to this world. Your energies align with the natural currents of Tyria." She turned away from Iedreth and focused on Curran and Hiami.

"The place you seek is beneath the water west of here, just past the fort where the Lionguard have taken up residence. If you follow the path up the hill, it is a steep fall, but you will see the Inquest lights from a mile away. I would speak with Agent Zee before you just go barging in there, however. He has a particular distaste for discordance."

"Thank you, Agent." Curran said, inclining his head slightly before turning on heel and exiting the cavern entrance. Iedreth exchanged a look with Kairith, who shrugged, but followed the Revenant out, catching up to him quickly.

"She was a bit odd." Iedreth said, brushing a stray white vine from her face.

"She's different." Curran allowed. "I've never known her to be easily fooled. She truly _can_ see auras. She's just... energetic." Hiami rolled her eyes.

"If that's what you consider energetic, you must have some low expectations." She told him, prodding his leafy hair fondly. He smiled up at her, but made no move to reply, instead continuing on the path towards the fort in the distance.

The fort was tall and well built, not a ruined block in sight, it's structure sturdy and industrial. Outside the bold entrance stood a tall male charr, carving something into a wooden block as they approached. His ears flicked as they came closer, and he drew his eyes up, looking at them each in turn, his golden eyes narrowing gently.

"Well, good afternoon." He said gruffly. "What brings you adventurers through this way?"

"Well actually, we're just passing through." Curran said. "Our resources told us that our destination was beneath the plateau in this direction."

"Ah, you must be looking for those Whisper's agents, then." The charr replied, itching his ear and looking up in thought. "The tiny one, Zee I think they call him, he's always cursin' at his workers and such. Short temper that one. Heard there's been some inquest activity down there. We'd been offering our assistance, but he insisted they had it handled. Besides, we have enough problems with pirates as it is."

"Your fort looks rather well built." Kairith observed.

"Well yes, it's built well enough." The charr admitted, shaking his mane gruffly. "But even that doesn't stop the pests from crawling in through any nook or cranny they can stuff themselves through. And I'm not talking about the rats."

"Seems quiet enough now." Iedreth commented.

"Yeah, give it till sundown, the fiends like to come through here around then. Scoundrels, all of them." He replied gruffly, turning his attention back to the wooden block. "At any rate, feel free to explore around. Zee is just off the cliff's edge. You'll likely hear him before you see him." Without any more attention their way, the Lionguard Charr continued to whittle away at his block of wood. The group exchanged glances before heading on through, overlooking the vast expanse of water beneath the Island's edge.

Hiami jumped down from Curran's shoulder and peered over the edge precariously, squinting her eyes down at a small figure waving its arms and shouting orders at a taller leather donning whisper's agent, who was carrying a heavy looking piece of equipment. She sat back and looked to the group.

"He's down there alright." She remarked, the tenstion returning to her face. "Any ideas on how to get down there quickly? I don't have time to build a teleportation device."

"We could use this rope." Iedreth suggested, picking up the thick twined rope that was tied to a metal stake. Peering down the edge, Hiami could see that the rope went down most, if not all the way down to the sandy coast beneath the plateau, and pulled out her leather and plate bound gauntlets, donning them and hopping over.

"Very astute find, Iedreth." She told the white Sylvari, beaming at her. Iedreth returned the smile and gestured for Hiami to take the lead. Hiami got a firm grasp on the rope, and jumped, sliding down the edge with a _whoosh_ before stopping a few feet from the ground. She let go of the rope, dropping into the sand and quickly moved out of the way as Iedreth, Kairith, and Curran followed. She walked straight up to the disgruntled Asura, poking him twice on the shoulder. He turned, a heavy scowl on his face that turned immediately into recognition and surprise upon turning around.

"Hiami!" He squeaked, his voice heavy with surprise. "What a pleasant sur-"

"If you _dare_ say surprise Zee, so help the eternal alchemy, I will shove my greatsword through your esophogas!" The three sylvari stayed a few feet back. It was very clear that their asuran companion knew Zee. The asuran in question gulped, taking a step back.

"Listen, Hiami, this is a delicate operation-"

"Delicate?"

"There are _very_ sensitive experiments and-"

" _I'll_ show you sensitive!" Her fists were already clenched and Zee looked rather alarmed. Curran came up, picking up the little furious asura, and holding her in his arms.

"Hiami." He whispered in her ear. "You need to take a deep breath, and relax." Hiami growled at the Whisper's agent and he backed an additional step away. She sighed.

"Alright... you can put me down... I won't kill him... yet." Curran raised a brow but did not release the angry little asura, instead shifting her so her arms were free, but keeping her locked to his chest.

"There's been word that you know of the Inquest activity around here." Kairith interjected carefully, avoiding Hiami's murderous gaze. "What would you suggest?"

"Erm... Well, their base is at the bottom of the lake over there." He replied, pointing. "I've been tinkering with some of their golems and various other security measures. You're welcome to use them to infultrate the base, but, be warned, they're a smarmy bunch. Violent as they come too." He said, his silver eyes eyeing Hiami indignantly. She bared her sharp teeth at him and he recoiled. Curran rolled his eyes.

"Zee. perhaps _now_ is not the time to antagonize." He told the small asura.

"Right you are. Go on, don't you have inquest to bother?" Zee said grumpily, turning his attention to the forgotten human assistant, who was trying unsuccessfully to hide his amusement. Iedreth was already reaching into her bag to pull out her breather, Kairith following suit as Curran took Hiami several feet away from the other asura.

"What was that all about?" Curran asked her, once they were a decent distance away. Hiami began to rummage through her backpack, her expression still livid.

" _Zee_ ," She said, her voice sharp. "Was a colleague of mine when I was still a progeny, back before my patents, back before I graduated from the college of synergetics. Back before my _research_ -" She grunted, pulling out her breather and checking the filters for damage. "And it was speculated that we were very... likely... to perpetrate conjugal relations." Curran's mouth popped open in shock, glancing over at Zee, who was pointedly looking away from their group, and back at Hiami, who was looking even more disgrunteled than before.

"However," She continued. "Despite our stellar research teamwork and otherwise, the fool made a callous comment regarding my _natural_ colored hair, and disappeared all within a fortnight, without any sort of atonement for his fatuous comments. I should have suspected he would join the Order of Whispers, that sniveling-"

"Wait, conjugal... you mean you were going to marry him?" Iedreth asked, her eyes wide with surprise. Hiami sighed.

"It was suspected. Nothing actually happened from our dual research. We went our seperate ways. He likes to see how machines tick. I like to see how people tick. We're very much different beings. It is mostly my ego that took the blow in this particular instance."

Iedreth pursed her lips and said no more on the subject. She turned to lock eyes with Kairith. It didn't seem like the asuran relationships functioned in the same way Sylvari did. She knew once she'd seen Kairith that he was precious to her. And by the way he looked into her eyes... it was the same for him. There need not be words spoken. It was known, and it had always been there. What little she'd learned of the asuran lifestyle from Hiami was that emotion played only a slight role. They were intelligent creatures, and ego was indeed a great deal more important than love, or so it seemed... And yet... By the way Hiami's lips had curled, and the way her face had pulled into a frustrated scowl, she _had_ been hurt, and not just her ego. But perhaps... her feelings too.

It was while observing this that she noticed _another_ perspective. One she hadn't really thought to assess before. Curran's eyes were gentle as he tightened the breather around her cheeks, but his mouth was set in a hard line. His posture was protective, and she noticed, oriented _directly_ around Hiami's diminutative form. She turned to smile at him, her eyes crinkling shut, and she could swear that Curran's face lit up as if it were night. She shook her head. Perhaps she were imagining things.

The water was lukewarm, only a few degrees cooler than the midday air, and refreshing to feel gliding along the skin as they swam towards the blinking lights. The Inquest buildings were spread out across several hundred feet, and disengaged turrets littered the lake floor, their lights a dim red, indicating their inactive status. Hiami jabbed her harpoon towards the larger building, her pink eyes moving back and forth across. Curran nodded and swam after her as she propelled forward, and the remaining two sylvari followed, the seaweed and fish giving them plenty of cover as they made their way to the entrance.

The door to the largest portion of the facility was not guarded, but had a strange looking pad outside of it that blinked with a neon green light every few seconds. Curran shrugged at Iedreth when she raised a brow, and Hiami reached up to begin drawing patterns on the screen. Drawing closer, they saw that there were tiny dots in neat rows across the pad, and she was drawing lines connecting them, her face screwed up in concentration as she focused her hand carefully.

The light blinked red several times before it turned green, and the door slid open like a flash, sucking all of them inside like a vaccuum, before shutting them inside the pitch black room. A deep groan could be heard through the water, and suddenly a sucking noise was heard, as the water was slowly filtered out of the bottom of the room. The four stood carefully, their clothing soaked through, but no water remained in the room.

"Water Filtration Complete. Proceed." A computer generized voice spoke from the walls, before a dim light ignited in the ceiling, and another door came sliding open. A long hallway was exposed, bright lights making the dull white stand out harshly. No sound came from anywhere in the hallway, and as they stepped out into it, the door shut behind them.

Kairith pressed a finger to his lips and quickly shadow stepped, stealthing through and stalking around the corner while they waited apprehensively. He returned only a few minutes later.

" All clear from the right path. But we will still need to be quiet." He whispered. "Noise carries here. Everything echoes. If you see something off, try to signal rather than speak." They all nodded in understanding, and he waved his hand, gesturing for them to follow him down the long hallway. There was nothing on the walls and there were very few doors, all of which, according to Kairith, were locked up tight, and no noise was coming from anywhere in the building. Was it possible that the Inquest had up and found a new place to set up shop, considering all the interference the order of whispers was giving them? Iedreth wasn't so sure. Something felt uneasey.

They came across a dead end in a hallway with six doors. Hiami got up on her toes to see the locks.

"They require a card to unlock." She said. "If there were any Inquest around I'd suggest commandeering one but..."

"It is strangely... deserted here." Curran agreed, his gaze very cautious.

"Hmm..." Hiami said, peeking around the corner again. "I wonder why-"

All four of them turned when one of the doors clicked open, and a very flaming red-headed asura stepped out, his nose in a book, his laboratory jacked scuffed and looking worse for wear. His eyes were glazed over and a long, jagged scar ran from cheek to cheek. Hiami gasped and the asura jumped, dropping the reading material he held, tilting his head at the pink haired asura. She blinked, her eyes wide with disbelief.

"No... No way?" She asked, backing up slowly. The asura looked at her in confusion.

"Who... are you a new technician?" The strange asura asked. "I don't believe Fisk told me of anyone new coming to..." He paused looking at each of the asura, his face paling.

"Oh my." He said, backing up slowly. Hiami darted forward quickly, slamming the door shut and standing in front of it with her arms crossed.

"I'm not sure I understand..." The scientist said, his glazed over eyes shifting between their rag-tag group in confusion. Hiami's eyes narrowed.

"I don't think _we're_ the ones who have to explain anything, _paternal progenitor._ "

...

Well, that's it for this weekend folks, I am really sorry I couldn't update more, I have so many things running through my head for ideas, whoo! Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the two chaps, I'll try to get some more out soon! Thank you all for reading!


	19. Memories

Purpose: Chapter 19: Memories

...

Hiami's eyes did not leave her father's face. She stared him down, her pink eyes intimidating the asura, who looked utterly perplexed at his current predicament. She did not budge from her position in front of the door, and her arms remained tightly crossed in front of her chest.

To her, this was both intruiging, and terrifying. There was no mistaking this was her father. She had been young when he had "died", sure, but he really could not tell it was her? She had to stifle the urge to punch him for faking his death to join the Inquest. Her temper was rising and each moment he gave her that dumbfounded look she found herself wanting nothing more than to knock it off his face. Curran stood adjacent to her, his eyes trained carefully on her face. He made no other movements. Iedreth and Kairith blocked the hallway, both of them with hands on their weapons, ready to draw them at a moments notice.

"I swear to you, I have no idea _who_ you are!" the asura insisted, his expression bewildered. "I must insist you leave at once, there is delicate research commencing here!" He said, suddenly very stiff and cross-looking

"Curran, could you restrain the good technitian?" Hiami asked in a sweet voice. Curran shrugged before bending down slightly to pull the asura into his arms, locking him so that he could not move. Hiami's father's legs wriggled and kicked and his expression was livid.

"Unhand me this instant, fiends!" He shouted, attempting to wiggle himself free from their grasp. Hiami shook her head, _tsking_ as she paced in front of him.

"Just answer a few questions, and I'll let him put you down." Hiami said, her tone business like, but her eyes full of malice and sadness. He continued to struggle.

"What is your name?"

"Srol the Thaumatologist, alumni of the College of Synergetics, inventor of the animotorquent amplifier." His pride showed in his tone, and for a moment, he stopped struggling against Curran's strong arms, instead focusing intently on Hiami's face. "And who might you be?"

"Hiami, also alumni of the College of Synergetics. And your progeny."

"Impossible." The asura scoffed, narrowing his eyes slightly. "You look nothing like me. Besides, I believe I would remember if I were to have copulated with the female gender to conceive a child. I have been working in this facility for _years_. I have _certainly_ not had any kind of relations with _anyone."_

"Do you not remember a young elementalist by the name of Phyla?" Hiami inquired hesitantly.

"Yes, once a colleague of mine. Turned to Inquest. Disappeared. Have not seen her in years." Hiami's mouth fell open at the admission.

"She is _not_ Inquest!" She cried out, her fists clenched. Iedreth pulled her back, and Srol looked on in alarm.

"Of course she is, silly girl. Why else would her ilk continuously attempt to infultrate this base and damage countless years of research that the college of synergetics commissioned?" Hiami's face was surprised. She didn't understand. This was an Inquest base. There was countless proof that this was an Inquest base. Doing Inquest operations. It didn't make any sense!

"You must be Inquest too then..." Srol continued, his voice small and quiet. "Inquest... how did you find us here?"

"Your base may be underwater, but you're not exactly hidden." Kairith interjected, drawing the red-headed asura's eyes. "If anything, most of the area knows exactly where to find you."

"You mean-"

"Yes, your obscurity has been compromised." Hiami said in irritation. "Because you are at an _Inquest_ base! _You_ are not known for your subtelty." She jabbed a clawed finger towards the hallway they came in at.

"Out there, there's blinking lights, dynamic cages meant for Quaggan, and Inquest buildings _everywhere._ All one would have to do to locate you is take an evening dip in the lagoon." Srol was livid, and it showed in his expression, one Iedreth could swear she'd seen on Hiami's face when confronting Zee above water.

"How _dare_ you insinuate that I would cooperate with the Inquest filth!" He cried out in outrage, deciding suddenly to pick up where he left off in struggling, causing Curran to lost his grip on the small man.

Srol was not, it would seem, as incompetent as he lead on. He quickly bent into a crouch and slid his body across the way to the door he'd come from, immediately sliding his card in the slot and swinging the door open.

"INTRUDERS!" He screeched, running into the door quickly. Kairith shadowstepped behind him and darted to track him, followed closely by Iedreth and Curran, with Hiami taking up the rear, her expression murderous.

The room they'd ducked into turned out to actually be another hallway with doors, sloping down deeper beneath the sea as they went. Srol's cries did not go unnoticed, and shortly after, doors upon doors began to open, disgruntled asura with ear amplfiiers and goggles larger than their face popped out, peering at the source of the sudden distraction. Hiami was nearly rammed in the face with one door swining open wide, and, forcing her to duck around and charge harder to catch up to her companions, more screeches began to combine in the hallway, before a near deafening noise began to emit from the very walls- a siren- and caused everyone to stop and take notice as red strobe lights dropped down from somewhere above them.

"Alert. Alert. Intruders on the fifth level. All to Battlestations. Destroy the Intruders."

"Oh boy..." Hiami groaned, drawing her greatsword and gripping it tightly.

Large panels in the wall, before invisible to the naked eye, moved and disappeared, allowing large, hulking shapes to break through the hallway, Golems built of sturdy metals with blinking angry red lighting panels twirled and whirred into the hall, their perspective camera's focusing on the newcomers.

"Looks like we've got company." Kairith stated bluntly, unsheathing his daggers and holding them aloft, already scanning the golems for weak spots in the metal.

"These are standard security golems." Hiami replied, her greatsword twisting in her hands. " The best way to destroy them- or disable them- is to subvert their cameras and attempt a cross lateral swipe at their back panel. It's where a majority of the controls will be. But, be warned, these golems _spin_."

As she spoke, a few of the golems began to rotate, at first, slowly, but then quicker and quicker, before beginning to move towards the group.

"Dodge!" Curran called, swiping Hiami out of the path of one and rolling out of the direction of another. Iedreth spun on her heel and materialized a clone, allowing it to take the brunt of the force from the golem, causing it to stutter to a complete stop. The golem twisted its torso, it's camera zooming into focus as it set its gaze on Hiami, who was already on her feet and charging toward it, her sword held at chest level. The golem's arm shot out, but Hiami ducked and slid out, skidding to a halt beside it before swiping at it's back panel, leaving a large gaping hole in the center. The golem began to spark and Hiami quickly backtracked.

"It's gonna blow!" She screamed cheerfully, setting her sights on another security golem. Sure enough, the one she'd sliced seemed to spontaniously combust, and fell to the deck with a loud _crash_ before it's lighting was extinguished for good. The sylvari took that as their cue, and with their respective weaponry, took down golem after golem, until nothing was left but steaming hulks of metal and oddly intermittent lights that went off dimly. Breathing heavily, Hiami peered around the hallway, her eyes narrowing as she saw the lack of Inquest present.

"Ugh, they escaped." She grunted, sheathing her greatsword and kicking at a hunk of golem pieces. "We have to go after them."

"Your father seemed quite livid when you accused him of deliberating with the Inquest." Iedreth said, tilting her head at the pink asura. "Do you have any idea what that was about?"  
"Not sure. He's either a liar, or there is something far more sinister going on down here than they let on." She replied grimly. "Either way, we cannot allow it to continue. _Someone_ needs to pay for this." Curran grimaced as he gazed down the hallway.

"Well, the less time we waste here the better." He said. "They will likely try to regroup and attack again, that can't be the only form of security they have here." Hiami nodded thoughtfully.

"Hmm... Yes." She said quietly. "I think I might have an idea..."

...

Eileria stepped off the waypoint platform and took a deep breath, her eyes scanning the area beneath the Ompholos chamber with cautious eyes. Most of the damage from Mordremoth's attack had already been repaired, and almost nothing remained of the devastation. Sylvari walked around or remained in loosely formed groups, speaking in hushed tones and with wary glances at their surroundings. A few stared at her in awe as she came close to the elevator pod, and she could feel eyes watching her when she stopped in front of the Warden guarding it.

"Diarmait, it is a great pleasure." She greeted the warden, bowing her head slightly. The Warden bowed respectfully.

"Indeed Commander, I assume you're here to conferr with the Blessed Sources?"

"I am." She replied. "How... How has she been?"  
Diarmait looked weary as he replied.

"She is lucid at times, but it's rare these days. Moredremoth hurt her in ways that we do not truly understand. It is all we can do to stand and wait for her recovery. Our menders spend much of their time at her roots, trying to heal but..."

"I understand." Eileria said, placing a hand on his shoulder. "It is not an easy thing, to standby and wait. I do not envy you that duty, brother."

"I can imagine it is a lot easier when you are instead tracking down the beast to fight a tangible source for the honor of our mother." He mused. "At least then you can face the monster that would hurt something so innocent." Eileria nodded grimly.

"Make no mistake, Mordremoth will pay for what he's done." She told him, speaking through her teeth. "But.. there are more things..." She trailed off, feeling a familiar presence approach from behind. She turned, and saw Marjory walking up, looking calm and poised.

"Excuse me, brother." She said gently. He nodded and she walked away swiftly, meeting the necromancer halfway.

"Marjory."  
"Commander." The human greeted, her expression wary. "I'm not sure how this is going to help anyone. One egg can't possibly mean the difference that ends in Mordremoth's defeat." Eileria peered into her friends eyes, seeing the deeply rooted pain that lay there.

"Marjory." Eileria said softly. "I know this is hard. But you have to trust me." Marjory looked doubtful.

"I know boss it's just... It killed my sister. You understand that I don't quite... it's hard for me to trust anything anymore..." She looked apologetically at the sylvari mesmer, but Eileria merely nodded, knowing that Marjory wasn't alone in her torment.

"I understand." She replied. "Hopefully the Pale Tree can give us the answers we need, and we can truly end the torment of the elder dragons. There is hope, Marjory." The necromancer nodded, not replying further, before turning her eyes to the elevator pod.

"Will they let us know when she's awake?" Eileria asked. Diarmait shrugged, face impassive.

"They should, everyone was well aware that you were going to be here today. That's why there is such a large gathering of newer saplings. They were most interested to meet you." Eileria turned on her heel to view said saplings, all of whom turned away when she looked at them, embarassed. She chuckled good naturedly.

"Ah, to be young." She said. Marjory chuckled at her.

"You are young too, Commander." Eileria stared for a moment, before her smile widened.

"I suppose you _are_ right. Though, With everything I've been through..." Her mind seemed to flash through the plague of the Risen, Orr's ruined catacombs and beaches teeming with undead. Dead friends risen again to kill their loved ones. Her mentor, overrun by Risen on Claw Island. Jaws disconnected from skulls as the decaying humans limped to destroy the living... Marjory's face wrenched a bit, realizing where the commander's thoughts had been heading.

"Yes... I suppose experience counts for years for your kind." She said softly.

Their conversation was interrupted when a shudder ran through the pod, and it lifted up to the chamber, gaining a passenger before floating back to the floor, opening up it's ends to release a sylvari mender.

"She's awake." The mender said, her eyes wide. "I do not know how long she will be able to stand it, but, if you wish to speak with her, now would be the time, commander."

Eileria glanced at Marjory before nodding and ascending into the lift, her nerves beginning to settle into the pits of her abdomen. The pod ascended and opened up in the Ompholos chamber, where the bioluminesence again shone, but the presense of her mother was still very weak. In her small corner, the Avatar lay back, her eyes open, but whose whole being seemed frail and weak. Upon catching her eye, the Avatar beckoned for her to come closer, even her arm movements seeming weak.

"Come closer, dear one. Please." Her voice was soft, low. Eileria felt a deep pain in her heart at the sound. Eileria approached, with Marjory close by. She knelt down, gently laying a hand on the avatar's collarbone.

"Mother." Eileria said softly.

"Child, I was hoping to see you soon... After the vision..."

"Yes, I was able to retrieve the egg." Eileria said softly, her face wrenched in pain. "But-"

"Oh, what a relief..." The Pale Tree's avatar closed her eyes, sighing with relief almost tangible enough for the whole room to feel it. "You may have just saved Tyria. The egg can mean the difference between making headway in the struggle, or being sweapt away in the tides. You have done well."

Shame washed across Eileria's face.

"Mother... there's been a problem. I _had_ the egg. Caithe... She ran off with it." The Avatar blinked.

"That's... that's not right." She said slowly, her eyes slowly becoming wider as she processed the information. "She wasn't... you were supposed to have the egg. You were the one who received the vision. You are it's protector."

"I understand mother." Eileria promised gently. "But she did. I don't know why. That's why we needed to see you." The Avatar grimaced a bit, and one of the mender's hovered by. The Pale tree lifted her hand to wave them away.

"Child, you must listen. You have to find Caithe, and retrieve the egg once more. I don't know if I'll be much help, however... in that regard." She seemed to think for a moment.

"Aine... please retrieve four memory seeds." Eileria perked up, watching the mender, who looked confused for only a moment, run off to the back section of the chamber, where a strangely luminescent tree was growing, seeds that seemed to bloom with color hanging from it's branches. She watched as Aine chose four, coming back to lay them before the sickly avatar. The Pale tree bent down, touching each with her fingers. They seemed to glow brighter for just an instance, before simmering down and revolving like glittering stones.

"Aine... please... explain how to use them... I am feeling..." She trailed off, and the mender stepped forward, her expression worried and very distracted.

"I'll do my best mother." She said shyly, turning to face the Commander. Eileria nodded, and allowed the mender to explain the seeds use to her, as a voice hissed in her head that this was only the beginning.

...

Hello loyal readers! I'm so sorry it took so long to get this chapter out, I just got back home, so I haven't had nearly as much time to work on the chapter, plus, I had a bit of writers block to top it off! Ah well, I hope you all enjoy the chapter, and there will be more to come soon! 3 Enjoy!


	20. Surprising and Shocking!

Purpose: Chapter 20: Surprising and Shocking!

...

As they descended through the hallways of the Inquest base, they met little to no further resistance as they had when they'd first entered into the door that Srol had made his escape in. No sign of said technitian seemed to be present as they searched each hallway, and it seemed as if their trail had gone cold altogether. Hiami nearly growled in frustration, and each of the Sylvari turned to her, their eyes glowing in the dim lighting.

"I think perhaps splitting off into pairs might be more beneficial." Curran suggested. "There are several doors on each side of the hallway, not to mention that we are a much easier target in such a group."

"I agree." Hiami aquiesced. "I don't like splitting up in Inquest territory... They don't fight fair. But it will take too long to find Srol at this rate. Not to mention the Inquest lacky's escaping left and right."

"Alright, Kairith and I will take the left side," Iedreth said. "And You and Curran can take the right. I'm sure we'll know who finds them first. Everything echoes here."

"Certainly. Onward then!"Hiami exclaimed, her greatsword pointing towards the first door on her side of the hallway. Curran kicked it down and they sprinted inside, disappearing into the dark.

Iedreth and Kairith turned to the first door on the left, and Kairith approached the lock pad, observing it for a moment.

"Do you remember the code she used?" Iedreth asked curiously, observing him as he ran his fingers lightly across the keypad. Kairith didn't answer, his fingers working quickly to enter the complicated rhythm she'd seen Hiami use on the outside pad. After a moment, the keypad blinked green, and the door opened with a slight _swish_ , and the darkness inside was exposed.

Kairith held up a finger to his lips and gestured for her to follow him as they descended into the room. At first, they could see nothing. It was as pitch black as night, with only their bioluminescence as a source of light. It made Iedreth uneasy, standing out like that, and she stayed close to Kairith's back, her swords held tightly in her hands. She could hear Kairith's fingertips ghosting across the wall, though for what reason other than to navigate, she wasn't sure, until he suddenly stopped, and something clicked, illuminating the room completely.

The Room appeared to be narrow and long, strange blinking lights embedded in the walls at even intervals, and beneath them, steel rods over cavernous blocks dug out of the wall. Iedreth peered into a few, and they seemed to be empty. She continued to observe each one as Kairith stealthed to the back of the room, where a table laden with paperwork stood, unattended.

At the last cage she approached, there came a small whimpering noise, and she stopped, looking in carefully. A tiny Quaggan, likely a very young, possibly even newly born, was laying in the corner of the crude cage, it's arms wrapped around itself, it's body shaking. It's beady eyes narrowed at her as she looked in at it, and it shrunk away from the cage further when she reached through the bars to comfort it.

"It's alright, I'm not here to hurt you." She spoke carefully, slowly. "I'm going to get you out of here." She felt a surge of pity and anger at the Inquest who would cage such harmless creatures.

Iedreth stood from her crouch and observed the blinking lights above the cage.

"Kairith?" She called softly, trying not to startle the small creature further. "What do you make of these cages?" Kairith lifted his head from one of the papers, and turned back to her.

"They're locked by a sequence of buttons. Says here it should be Green-Green-Red-Green." Iedreth looked at the blinking lights and pressed them in the exact sequence that Kairith described, and to her surprise, the bars slid into the ground, disappearing completely. She reached in, taking the Quaggan offspring into her arms gently, where it burrowed into her chest garment, shivering.

"It looks to be the only one in here." Iedreth said, taking a last cursory glance through each cage.

"Once they chose the Quaggan to experiment on, they moved them out of this room and into a seperate facility." Kairith said, a hint of rage in his tone, though it was slightly controlled. His fists crumpled the papers he held. "It's not listed explicitly, but I would infer based off of whats written here that they're not in good hands."

"Can you read Asuran?" Iedreth asked in a strained voice. Kairith nodded.

"The priory teaches you a lot of skills. Many of which come in handy. Though, I won't lie, this particular set, liguistics, comes in handy more often then not." He turned his ice blue eyes to Iedreth. "We need to keep searching. There's nothing else in this room for us."

Iedreth nodded and followed him out, tucking the shivering Quaggan child into her backpack. They proceeded into the next room down, finding nothing but cleaning supplies and buckets stacked in the corner. The room after that held a solitary Golem smack in the middle of the room, but it did not activate when they stepped inside, and nothing else of value or worth was noted in the room. They quickly moved on before the Golem decided to react to their presence.

Their next door led straight into another hallway, but only two doors were present.

"This is like a labyrinth." Iedreth groaned, frustrated with their lack of progress. "It's as if it's all a game."

"Hmmm..." Kairith replied, his face screwed up in concentration. "A puzzle..." He stepped up to the door on the left side, holding up a finger to shush the mesmer, who moved quickly and silently beside him, her eyes wide. They stayed like that, silent for a few moments, before whispers could be heard from the other side of the door.

"Quiet! It's obviously a trap you imbecile!"

"Well we can't just hole up in here, we don't have the provisions!"

"Forget provisions, did you see that pink-haired asura take out those golems? Srol and Fresco better have their plans on backup, they'll destroy the whole base with their careless sword-swinging!"

"I personally think her hair color is the _real_ travesty here."

Iedreth rolled her eyes. Inquest Asura didn't sound quite as... eloquent, as Hiami and her sibling and parent had sounded. They bickered easily and had little to no honor.

Kairith sent her a slight nod, and she closed her eyes, focusing her energies carefully, then sending them to the other side of the door as she completely transported herself to the other side of it.

The asura behind the door were shocked, and immediately began to scramble, looking for anything that might net them an escape from their would-be pursuer. Iedreth's clones made this impossible, standing at every exit of the room and in each corner.

"W-We're not afraid of plant people!" One of the bolder asura spoke out defiantly, his ears twitching as he raised his fist. Iedreth raised a brow and reached behind her, placing a finger on the keypad, sliding the door open. Kairith slid up behind her, his veins glowing an ominous red. A terrified squeal rang out amoungst them as he shadowstepped, a blurr of red and blue as they were surrounded and subsequently detained, their little bodies up against one another.

"Now, where were we." Kairith said, dusting off his leather armor and eyeing up the terrified technicians.

...

Curran moved quietly about the hallway, his eyes covered with a metal band to allow his other senses to take route. Sounds were abundant all about the base, and he could smell freshly torn metal and heated iron, though he could not sense anyone _alive_ down the path they'd taken.

"Another dead end, Hiami." Curran whispered to his asuran companion, watching with his senses as she tiptoed beside him, her aura angry.

"I won't allow him to just escape." She said, her tone petulant. "He has many things to answer for. He won't be allowed to just convene upon the Inquest agenda."

"We will find him." Curran agreed, scanning the hall again. "But we need to try something else. There is nothing here." Hiami seemed to slump into herself for a moment, trying to think of where her paternal progenitor could have gone. He'd disappeared rather quickly, and the security golems had severely slowed their progress. It could take hours to find him at the rate they were going. They had to think smarter. Logically.

"Ugh! It is times like this that a map would be a welcome addition!" She grumbled, her mind reaching a mental block. Suddenly, both Kairith and Iedreth appeared, looking flustered and carrying a small baby quaggan. Hiami stared.

"Did you say a map?" Kairith asked, handing the asura a blueprint mapout. "It's amazing the things they leave lying around here. No sense of secrecy among these folks."

"I have a bad feeling that there's a reason for that." Hiami said, her nose buried in the blueprints.

"Hiami, we encountered other Inquest while we were searching on our side. Your father was not among them, but they did mention another asura that we inferred may be working directly with him."

"Oh?" Hiami said, lifting her eyes and looking at each of them in turn.

"Does the name Fresco ring a bell?" Kairith asked. Hiami's face paled slightly, and it appeared as if something important had dawned on her.

"Of course! Oh I am so ignorant! The memory loss... The strange Inquest animadiversion, it all makes so much _sense_!" She nearly dropped the schematics in her excitement.

"I'm sorry?" Iedreth asked, unable to follow her track of thought. Hiami did not look pleased and she began to pace, still looking at the schematics of the base.

"Fresco is a well known Inquest technician that deals with the cerebrum and the hippocampus functionality. He studied asura brain matter for years before he was caught murdering fellow technician's to gather data, and then created his own seperate branch of Inquest purely to continue his sick research. _He_ was the one originally responsible for my paternal progenitor's kidnapping." She pointed to a spot on the map, tapping it a few times absentmindedly.

"If Fresco is behind this, and I don't doubt he is, he's devised a way to fool the hippocampus into generating false cognizance in an effort to chatecize Srol into thinking he's working _against_ the Inquest-"

"Alright, that's all well and good, but how are we supposed to... well, fix him?" Kairith asked.

"Kairith has a point." Curran said, glancing over at the plans. "Do you have any idea how this other asura might be controlling him?"

"I can only theorize." Hiami admitted, biting her lip. "Worst case scenario, he actually modified the cerebrum neurons, which I will not be able to reverse. Best case scenario, it's a cheap hypnosis and there's a way to break it."

"Let's hope its the latter, and not the former." Iedreth agreed grimly, adjusting her blades on her hip.

"Agreed. We'll likely find them in the bottom most portion, here," She said, pointing to the section she'd selected earlier. "Inquest bases follow almost the same format, this one just has several extra layers. Once we make our way to the core, we should find Fresco, and by extension...Srol."

...

Eileria gasped as she was thrown from the memory, her hands flying to her face and her eyes wide as she adjusted to being back in her own body, in her own time, with her own memories. Marjory was standing over her, looking worried and slightly confused.

"What is it boss, what did you see?" Eileria took a few deep, calming breaths and shook her head in shock, disbelief.

"It was... it was Caithe in the early years of the sylvari." She said, bewildered. I saw... So many of the firstborn.. Faolain... There was a firstborn.. Wynne, they called her. She knew something... Something important."

"I'm not sure I'm following." Marjory admitted. Eileria sighed.

"Unfortunately _that_ memory only really told me that Faolain has been despicable since the beginning." She said harshly. "But... I could sense that this Wynne... she's important. I wonder why... I've never seen her before. Or even heard mention of her name. Odd, really, considering."

"Is it common for you to know all their names?"

"Just the firstborn, really, and those sylvari that make names for themselves by their deeds, whether good or bad." She replied.

"Do you think this Wynne may know where to find Caithe?" Eileria shook her head, forcing herself to stand up.

"I wouldn't even know where to look for her. And Mother is so sick... I couldn't bear to put her through more like that. I think we have a different lead to follow instead."

"Really? What?" Marjory asked.

"Metrica Province. Faolain mentioned that she and Caithe were headed their next to survey some 'little imps' that had kidnapped some of the newborn sylvari."

"They didn't mean-"

"I'm very sure they did."

"Well, they were young."

"Yes, it is normal for one to make mistakes." Eileria mused, holding the used seed in her arm.

"We should go, we need to find Caithe quickly, and I can't do that by lingering here." Marjory nodded, leading the way towards the exit, and, with one last look at her home, she turned and walked away.

...

Sorry I'm so late guys, it has literally been madness since I have been home, I haven't had a mere moment to really work on the story, and when I did, I just kept meeting little writer's blocks! Oh well, here is the next chapter, I'll try to work on the next one and get it out soon, I appreciate you guys sticking with it! And I hope you all enjoy!


	21. Discovery

Purpose: Chapter 21: Discovery

...

I know the chapters have slowed significantly folks, but bear with me, I'm about to deploy and my time has been cut a bit to make way. I will try to squeeze two chapters out, but I wouldn't expect much for about the next 8-10 months unfortunately...I'll update as I can, thank you all for reading! 3

...

The door to the deepest part of the lab swung open violently, bouncing back off the wall and coming to a stop by the hand of Srol, who's expression bespoke of his irritation, confusion, and anxiety.

"I would have a word with you, Fresco." He said, his voice making it clear that anyone else, wanting to be kept intact, should clear from the room. The dark grey asura hardly looked up as many of the inquest technician's quickly cleared the room, a few sending dirty looks or terrified glances at the head scientist, but adjusted his glasses, deep red eyes scanning a journal furvently.

"What is it now, Srol?" Fresco asked, his voice gravelly and lazy. "Can't you see I'm _busy_?" Srol strode up to the dark asura and roughly turned him so that he was facing the scientist, his expression very serious.

"Busy or not, we have a dillema that simply cannot go un-accounted for scampering about the premisis." At that, Fresco's eyes widened a fraction, though only just so.

"Strange, I though I told those imbeciles to stop letting semi-intelligent beings within the compound during scheduled working hours."

"These aren't _semi-intelligent_ beings Fresco." Srol said crossly, his teeth grinding together. "They work together seemlessly, and have single-handedly collapsed half our network of golems in less than twenty minutes. It would do you well to take _that_ into consideration." The red eyed Asura blinked, as if he weren't sure how to respond.

"The other half is still functioning?"

"Is that _seriously_ all you have gleaned from this conversation?" Srol cried out in exsasperation. "Fresco, be serious."

"I _am_ being serious, Srol." Fresco replied, narrowing his eyes. "How would we be expected to escape and continue our research elsewhere if we had no means of defenses?"

"One of them is an Asura, Fresco." Srol pressed in exsasperation. "And she claims to be my progeny."

If Fresco was surprised by this information, his face did not show it, instead staring at him impartially, as if unsure how the scientist was faring knowing this information. Srol stared back, then blinked.

"Wait... you knew this?" Srol said, taking a step back. "What is going on here Fresco, why is there an asuran progeny running about our establishment with no regard to reticence? Why after _years_ of research, do I feel no closer to finding the cure for memory loss that we have so _tirelessly_ searched for? Why do I feel like you have been keeping things from me here in _our_ supposedly _shared_ laboratory!" Fresco raised a brow, sending a pattern of dark skin into relief in the dim light.

"You're being ridiculous Srol, and paranoid." Fresco said, turning back to his scroll, a slight hunch in his back. But Srol stood for a moment, rigid. Something was gnawing at the back of his mind, something he couldn't quite put his finger on...

"She mentioned Phyla... and something about her _not_ being Inquest..." Fresco turned again, narrowing his eyes at the scientist, slight irritation crossing his expression until he realized Srol was no longer looking at him, instead, seemed to be almost reminiscing.

"Srol-"

"You..." Srol said, breaking out of his trance, anger showing on his face. "You- You're it! You're the reason! Our, no, MY research! You've been after it for decades! And Phyla... she was just in your way. I remember now! I can't believe I'd forget such a thing!" Fresco's head tilted down, eyes nearing slits. Srol took another step back, his eyes narrowing angrily at his partner. "You've been using my inventions to erase my memories! But they can't be erased! Supressed, perhaps..." He ran a hand down his face, before clenching them in fists at his side. "I've lost countless years with my _wife_ and _child_ because of _you!"_

"Let's not get too carried away." Fresco said calmly, his hand settled behind his back. "I only gave you more time to work on your research. And it's been extremely fruitful." Srol growled and tensed himself, eyes narrowing in suspicion.

"Fruitful to your twisted agenda perhaps." Srol replied. "But I won't be your willing puppet any longer, Fresco."

"Willing, perhaps not." Fresco said, an impish smile finding its way onto his face. He pulled a small cube out from behind his back, pressing in a small code onto the keypad on the side. Before Srol could even run, crouch, move at all, a strange screeching noise was heard, and he collapsed to the ground, covering his ears in anguish at the horrible cacophany. Fresco seemed unphased, instead scratching at his ear slightly and waiting on the noise to slowly abate.

"However, how could you _not_ be willing, if it's all your lifes work about to burn?" He said softly, as Srol's eyes went blank, and the scientist's vision faded to black.

...

"If we follow this path down here, we should find a secret compartment here," Hiami said, pointing to a narrow hallway sketched out on the blueprint, where a room was drawn, purely dubbed, "Fresco's". Curran nodded, Iedreth glanced up at Kairith.

"We didn't encounter any other countermeasures while we searched the halls." She said, looking worried. "I feel that the closer we get to finding your father, the more dangerous the path will become."

"I concur." Hiami agreed grimly. "Fresco isn't known for his bravery and fighting spirit. He's a coward, and he'll resort to any dirty trick to keep Srol away from the truth, and us from presenting it."

"You think he already knows we're here?" Kairith asked.

"Oh most certainly." Hiami replied. "He's not stupid. Just cowardly. He'll have already made contingency plans for this very scenario. We need to excersize great caution as we traverse the rest of the lab."

"Do you think he can escape?" Iedreth asked.

"Not without great effort, I think." Hiami said, scrunching her nose. "He's like a snake, that's for sure. But he won't be slithering out of this one. Let's go. The faster we get to the bottom level, the faster we can get to the bottom of all this." The sylvari nodded at the little asura, and they began their trek to the bottom of the cavernous laboratory.

Each hall, like the last, reminded Iedreth of a labyrinth, a twist and turn of halls meant to confuse. Even with the map, it seemed like it would take them years to navigate through the entire facility. Kairth walked closely beside her, his whole body tense and on alert, as if expecting something to attack them at any moment. Curran hovered protectively over Hiami, who held out her greatsword, her eyes darting around at her surroundings, and also looking at the map, to keep them on track.

Despite everyone's reservations, there seemed to be no defense mechanisms up the closer they came to the basement lab, and they ran into no resistance, or any inquest technicians, which made Hiami extremely suspicious.

"This is almost too easy." She whispered quietly, turning her eyes to gaze up at Curran. Curran nodded almost absentmindedly, reaching into his bag to pull out his eye-bindings, strapping them to obscure his vision.

"Give me a moment, I sense something is not quite right." He said quietly. His hammer was already in his grip as he scanned the area, breathing in deeply and exhaling slowly, allowing himself to become in tune with his surroundings. He could hear the breaths of his comrades and the rapid hearbeats, a strange sound from a sylvari, and worked to tune out the sound to better grasp his surroundings. At first, he felt nothing. Metal was often silent, no real organic sounds or textures that the spirit could grasp. But slowly, he began to sense something moving. Not fluid, but not clunky as the golems from before had been. But not of flesh.

"Something's coming." He whispered. The four stood, tensed in the narrow hallway when a piercing, shrieking sound came alive, causing Hiami to collapse onto her knees clutching her ears, and the three slyvari to duck down, eyes scrunched in pain.

"What is that?" Iedreth screamed, opening one eye and finding her vision to be slightly distorted. She peered around slowly, and saw a batch of strange golems, their designs symmetrical and smooth, not at all angular and bulky like most asuran golems. They had a visor of red glass, a small thin laser-like light searching the ground and walls around them, looking for their heat signatures. Kairith stumbled off to the wall and raised his dagger up, his eyes unfocused and dilated as he frantically searched for the source of the noise. Curran was on his feet, moving slowly, but delibrately, defending his body with the bulk of his hammer in front of his chest, his arms trembling at the piercing sound.

Iedreth stopped her gaze at a small opening in the wall that hadn't been there before, and focused on grabbing her staff from her back, to channel with what little concentration she had. Hiami still hadn't moved from the ground, rocking back and forth, her voice unheard over the wailing siren. She gritted her teeth, focusing hard on the magic within, channeling it to strike at the small wailing box.

The sound only decreased slightly, but it was enough to help free Kairith from his struggle, and he too began to rush at the boxes on the walls, slashing at them, cutting off the sounds one by one, as Curran began to swing his hammer against the smooth surfaces of the strange golems. Hiami groaned as the last of the speakers was dismantled, and gripped her claymore, her arms shaking and pupils still dilated. She growled and swung her sword into one of the golems, which had just begun to spin, and climbed atop it, reaching inside it's mantled core and tearing at the wires within.

In seconds, the fight became very one sided. Hiami rerouted the wiring configuration and remotely began to control the golem. Its functioning lasers tore into it's comrades until they were left in smoking heaps of metal and ash upon the floor, each one looking worse for wear. Hiami jumped off the golem and skittered away quickly, allowing Curran to bash it against the wall, effectively ending its crusade against them.

"That was horrifying." Iedreth commented, a faint ringing still plaguing her ears. "Let's hope that means we're getting closer."

"It does." Hiami stated, wincing as she reached back to pull out the map. "There's only two hallways left. Most likely just as trap-ridden as this one. We'll need to be very careful." Iedreth nodded, Kairith and Curran exchanged a look.

However it seemed their worries needen't have been a concern. Or, Fresco had run out of defenses. They met no resistance coming to the door, except a keypad unlike the others around the lab.

"I don't know what we'll find behind this door." Hiami admitted, giving each of her comrades a cursury glance. "It will be dangerous, that, I can assure you."

"We'll be careful." Kairith answered, his daggers already in his hands. Curran nodded and Iedreth focused her magic carefully, ready to shield from projectiles at a moments notice. Hiami walked up to the console, and began a series of complicated codes, swipes, and bypasses.

The door slid open, and the lights went black.

...

Eileria gasped as she woke from her dream. The seed had drained much of her energy, and she found herself leaning into Marjory for support, her head in her hands as she tried to slow her breathing.

"Are you alright, boss?" Marjory asked softly, her gaze worried at the sylvari mesmer. Eileria nodded slowly, forcing herself to calm down and reassess herself.

"I'll be fine." She replied. "That was incredibly hard to see."

"What was it?"

"I watched many of my newborn siblings, back during the time of the secondborn, as they were killed during the experimentation of the asura." Marjory gasped and a hand shot up to cover her mouth.

"Oh no..."

"I can see why Faolain was so angry." Eileria said, though she was loathe to admit it. "But at the time... I can't justify what he did, but Faolain began her descent to nightmare around this, I'm sure."

"Who?" Marjory asked

"Vorpp." Eileria replied simply. "I can see now why Taimi avoided him in favor of Zojja."

"I should think so." Marjory replied, placing a gentle hand on Eileria's shoulder. "I'm sorry you had to witness that commander."

"It's alright." Eileria said, standing up "At least I understand a little more now. And I know where our next destination will be. Faolain was ever obsessed with Wynne. She would have dragged Caithe along in her twisted quest to find the other firstborn, I'm sure of it." She paused, thoughtful.

"It's amazing, how cruelty in the past can spark dissonance in the future." Eileria stated. "Almost all the asura I've met have been proper, intelligent creatures, save for the inquest. I've not had the misfortune of meeting many asura who sacrifice the innocent for their research. I try to be as impartial as I can whilst meeting people. But, should I come across Vorpp..."

"I would expect you to approach him in a manner befitting the commander of the Pact." Marjory answered, sending a sympathetic glance her way. Eileria nodded and pulled her map from her bag, spreading it open on the ground, a grimace upon her face.

"Where to now, boss?"

"To the Silverwastes." Eileria stated. "This will lead us to Caithe... but I'm worried that now, it will lead us straight to Mordremoth as well."

...

I'm sorry this is a short chapter folks, but I wanted to get something out there sooner rather than later. I will work on getting another chapter out as soon as possible. I'm sorry for falling behind! Thank you all for sticking it out so much! I'm about to deploy out to sea, so I won't have internet for quite some time, till I make port. That being said, updates past October will be slim to none. Essentially, after October, the story will be on hiatus until my return. 3 All my love to you all, I'll try my best to get out a couple more chapters before then!


	22. Finality

Purpose: Chapter 22: Finality

...

"On your guard!" Curran whispered, his massive hammer already in hand and held aloft, his senses on high alert and nerves reacting to the sudden tension in the room. He shifted his foot carefully, orienting it close to where he sensed Hiami's energies. He noted that Kairith had already shifted into stealth, and Iedreth was none for the worse, her energies coursing and multiplying as only a mesmer's could. Though he had no doubt they could decimate an attack, he _did_ know the others were at a distinct disadvantage in the dark. He, on the other hand, had been training for a long time, just to focus his other senses so he wouldn't _need_ to see. Though he suspected, based off of how Hiami was postured, that she could at least see her general surroundings.

"Greetings, invaders." A softly spoken, low voice cantered over a PA system. "I see it took you little to no time to make your way to my personal laboratory. I must admit, I wasn't ready to entertain company. You'll have to excuse my lack of hospitality, our work is very detrimental to Tyria, as I'm sure you're aware-"

"Cut the pleasantries, Fresco." Hiami said viciously, her sharp teeth gnashing together as she glared at the inlaid speakers. "No one in here believes a word that exits from your oral cavity."

A pause.

"Well then, I won't waste my breath, hmm?" A loud groaning noise was heard and the walls began to shift, revealing large cavities where large imposing golems were stored. The room began to glow an eerie magenta hue, as they each powered on, shifting out of their cramped quarters and surrounding the group.

" _More_ golems, seriously?" Hiami growled, her claymore already spinning in her hands.

"An asura can never have too many golems." Fresco's bored tone said. "I'll even have them clean up the mess once they've finished with you all." A swift click seemed to set the monstrous golems off, and they began, in unison, to move towards them, blinking sinister magenta as they raised their arms to fire upon them.

Movement began quickly, as Hiami spun and stunned three golems advancing on her, her claymore slicing through a fourth as her rage pushed her forward. Iedreth lithely flickered from one side of the room to the other, a large bulbous shield erupting from her staff as her pink eyes scanned the formation. Kairith blinked across the space, his daggers moving quickly, perpetuating every movement the golems made and shadow-stepping before a blow could be landed. Curran merely swung his hammer, blitzing the heads, wires sparking as they ripped from the internal controls, to the floor where they dulled, the bodies standing erect but unoccupied before them. Systematically, they cleared golem after golem, a pile of smoking, jagged pieces strewn across the floor, their circuits sparking and lights dimming permanently. It seemed that the golems were the same type they'd fought before, and thus, had nothing particularly special to offer in opposition of their frontal assault of Fresco's lab.

When the last golem fell, there was a short pause for the group to catch their breath. They each peered around each other, then began to look around the room. All the previously opened cavities were now closed, and the door they'd come through was not only closed, but also completely missing altogether. It was as if the room had shifted and molded all together, its contents seamless.

"I must admit; I was skeptical you'd survive that particular onslaught. No matter. There are other countermeasures in place, just for scenarios such as this." Hiami narrowed her eyes as high above their heads, small vents opened.

She smelled it first. A sweet, cloying smell, something familiar, though she wasn't positive she could place it. Her first hint that it was going to be a problem was when she began to feel sleepy, and her fingers began to twitch. She quickly swung her bag off of her back, fumbling around her bag for her gas mask.

The sylvari stood stoically, staring at the vents curiously, but making no movements otherwise. Curran turned his gaze away from the vents to look at the small asura, and quickly rushed to her side, placing a hand gently around her.

"Hiami, what is it?" He asked. Iedreth skidded over and Kairith peered around the room, as if looking for another enemy to slice. Hiami opened her mouth to speak, but no sound came forth, and she felt her shoulders begin to spasm. Curran's eyes widened in alarm.

"It's the gas!" Iedreth gasped out, shifting her gaze around the room. "We need to get her mask on!" Curran nodded, gently moving her spasm-ridden fingers from her bag and digging around, finding her mask and pressing it to her face. Hiami took a gasping breath, closing her eyes as filtered air made its way into her lungs. Her eyes began to water, but the twitching slowed in her fingers and arms, and she slowly calmed down, the drowsiness fading each second she took a clean breath of air.

"Blast, of course it's not configured for a _plant_." Fresco's voice amplified over the PA in disgust. "You may have averted crisis this time around, but you won't be so lucky twice, Hiami." Curran turned his emerald eyes to the PA speakers, a slight grimace upon his face.  
"He seems friendly." Kairith said sarcastically. "We should keep moving, the lab looks to have several facets and entrances. We need to go through each one to find the information we're looking for. Not to mention finding your father and Fresco. A small coo resounded through Iedreth's blouse, and the baby quaggan popped its head out woefully.

"We need to find a way out of this room first." Hiami said, her voice slightly muffled by the mask she wore. "He has it sealed by a metal–liquid compound. We'll have to neutralize it to get to the next portion of the room."

"Any ideas?" Iedreth asked.

"A few." Hiami said cheerfully. "Just leave it to me. Fresco isn't getting away with anything else while we're here."

...

Eileria opened her eyes slowly, shaking off the initial feeling of disorientation that happened each time she entered a memory seed. The sensations never seemed to get better, despite this being her third time invading Caithe's memories.

But, it was necessary.

She told herself this, over and over, but she could feel the deep rooted shame and invasiveness that came with each memory. These were not hers to hold, to share. And yet, she was seeing a side of Caithe she'd neither expected, nor prepared for. She wondered idly whether Mother had been disappointed at some of the behavior she'd exhibited, then chastised herself mentally for even entertaining the though. Mother was pure; she'd never convene such thoughts of any of her children.

She took a cursory glance around at her surroundings before making her way towards a pulling she felt, where she was unsurprised to yet again see Faolain, gesturing for her to make her way over.

"Dearheart, this is it." Faolain said, her voice higher with glee. "The centaur encampment up ahead is the only place she could be hiding." Eileria raised a brow, and felt her arms cross of their own accord. The body language that Caithe was showing was indicative of uncertainty. She could nearly see the tension it was so thick. But Faolain was oblivious, so close was the target of her obsession.

"How are you so sure she'll share her secret?" Eileria heard Caithe's voice ask. She shifted her gaze to a few sylvari standing far off to the side, their posture's aggressive, slightly fearful.

"I'm confident that between the two of us, she'll be more than pliant and persuadable." Faolain said in amusement. Eileria felt her spine bristle at the implications.

"Then why bother involving them?" Caithe's hand jerked out to indicate the other sylvari, who sent a decidedly nasty look in her direction.

"Our… _new_ friends, are merely here in case the creatures show hostilities in our way. You won't even know they're here. Unless of course, we need them to be."

"I see." Caithe's voice stammered, a ping of panic underplayed in her tone. "Let's just get this over with." Faolain simpered, placing a gentle hand on Caithe's shoulder, which Eileria struggled not to flinch at.

"Perhaps you should do the talking with these creatures, Dearheart? You have a better way of speaking with strangers." Eileria mentally scoffed at the sylvari, whose cruel intentions seemed so obvious to her. And even Caithe at the time had to have seen it. Why follow along for so long? To what end?"

Eileria mused to herself as Caithe's memory did the footwork, speaking with centaur guards and then the chieftain, asking them each about Wynne. She didn't miss the whispers that likened the sylvari's coming as something special, nor did she miss the inherent hisses that Faolain spat against the peaceful creatures, which turned their gazes from friendly awe, to disgusted distrust. Finally, the two firstborn decided to wait on Wynne, and Eileria could feel that something terrible was about to ensue.

The firstborn Wynne walked up lithely, her gait carefree and happy, her eyes flashing from the chieftain, and then to her sisters, where her eyes narrowed and her gait slowed, her posture tensing.

"Well," Faolain said, crossing her arms, a snide smile on her face. "Look who is here at last."

"Ah Wynne." Nekhii, the centaur chieftain interjected peaceably. "You have visitors."

"Caithe. Faolain." She greeted, cautious, but still happily. "My friends here had ancestors who knew Ventari. They're almost like cousins!" Eileria felt a gentle kinship with Wynne in that moment that made watching the memory all the harder. She was so happy and though she clearly bore a burden heavier than even her own, she had a just-innocence about her. She was _kind_. Selfless. Someone Eileria felt she'd have looked up to, had she been given the time to know her.

Faolain laughed, but it was not a kind laugh. It was cold, sinister. She felt Caithe recoil slightly.

"I am no kin to animals. And I am _tired_ of Ventari's nonsense. You need to come with us. Now." The centaur chieftain looked angry at Faolain's accusation. Wynne looked unsurprised, but also distraught that Faolain would speak so carelessly before a friend of hers. No one spared Caithe a second glance.

"No, Faolain, I won't." Wynne said, crossing her arms defiantly. "I go where I please, and just now it pleases me to stay amongst my _friends_." She emphasized, taking a step away from the birch colored sylvari and towards the tanned centaur.

"You've already dragged us halfway across Tyria to collect you, dear." Faolain argued, her demeanor changing. She was no longer faking pleasantries.

"Wynne, you may remain here, with us, as long as you like. As our guest, you are entitled to our protection."

"That is no concern of yours, my friend." Faolain countered. "Wynne is our sister. If we want her to come with us, she _will_." The anger and tension exploded in the room, and suddenly the centaur turned his deep dark eyes onto her, his muzzle wrinkling.

"I would have words with you Caithe. Now." Caithe staggered back, and Eileria felt a prickling of fear and anxiety course through her. Caithe hadn't wanted a confrontation. But she wasn't strong enough to protest… not yet. Not at this time in her life.

"By all means, have your _words_ Caithe." Faolain said dismissively, waving her hand at the centaur. "Just be sure to make our point clear. I've had just about enough of these beasts and their filthy paddock. I need some air." Eileria watched from Caithe's point of view as Faolain left, her posture superior and nose upturned. Caithe turned to Wynne, whose eyes seemed years older.

"We established this refuge to put some distance between our tribe and its violent past." Nekhii stated coldly. "We will defend ourselves against you if need be. I had hoped when you two had stepped foot onto our lands that, like Wynne, you were looking for friendship, for peace. I fear that is not all you seek." Caithe started only slightly, but seemed to regain her nerve.

"No need for all that." She stated. "But please… understand, we've come such a long way for Wynne." The centaur chief's eyes narrowed.

"She is not a property of yours to collect, my young friend." He replied. "if you have no need for violence, then why do you amass bodies to our land to fight us?" Caithe recoiled.

"A precaution only." She hedged, chagrin lighting her face. "This is unfamiliar land, filled with strangers. Hostilities could have arisen- "

"It is you and your sister who are the hostile strangers here." He told her. "We can't abide such tensions in this refuge. If you cannot be peaceable, then we will ask you to leave. If you will not… we will _force_ you to leave." Caithe bristled, but Eileria's attention was focused elsewhere in the camp, as she heard a scuffle.

"Wait, was that a threat? Wait… What's going on?" Caithe turned to see Faolain fighting a bulwark defender, his hooves raised high in the air as he raised his spear to strike the pale sylvari.

"No! Faolain!" Wynne and Caithe ran to their fellow sylvari, or at least, Eileria _thought_ Wynne had been running to Faolain. But the burgundy firstborn took off straight out of the camp and ran off into the distance. Caithe did not follow, instead helping Faolain to her feet.

"If she wants a chase, so be it!" Faolain growled, standing to follow. The centaurs began to bar their path and Eileria felt herself beginning to understand something about Caithe that she hadn't before. Though Caithe wasn't looking to do wrong, she would do what fit what _she_ believed as right. What she saw. Even if it meant she would harm her own pride, her own morals, by doing it. Faolain too must have seen this about her, and took advantage at every turn.

Her attentions were pulled to a fight with the centaurs before following Wynne to a cave where she disappeared. The dream faded, and Eileria was once more pulled from the seed's grip, awakening to Marjory's apprehensive face.

"Are you alright, boss?" Marjory asked, helping Eileria to a stand. The mesmer took a deep breath and steadied herself.

"I'll be alright."

"These seeds are taking a lot of life out of you." Marjory noted. "You come back weak each time you go in."

"I know… But, I can feel it. There's a cave. It's where the last seed will go. Once we go there… We will find all the answers we seek. We're so close." Marjory nodded.

"We'll do what we can, boss. We'll get to the bottom of this." Eileria nodded, but her attention turned to the last memory seed she held.

"I'm scared to know what this will lead to." Eileria admitted. "I've never before witnessed firsthand the cruelty that Faolain possessed. Her manipulation. I don't know how I feel about Wynne's life playing out the way it has."

"You don't think…"

"I can only speculate. But I hope, for everyone's sake, that Caithe did not do what I feel she did to Wynne."

...

"Would you stop staring off like that, you'll garner more attention than we need."

Aisling snapped to glare at Meinhard, who glared right back at the peach colored sylvari.

"You would do well, _Count,_ to keep your thoughts to yourself in regards to my _face_." She snapped back.

"So unpleasant, you are. The Knight of Malice did her job well."

"We are of nightmare. Should you truly be upset about such trivialities?"

Meinhard sighed, sending her a disdainful look.

"If you have nothing but bitterness to spread, take it elsewhere, away from my hunt. I never asked you to accompany me, and quite frankly, I don't understand why you'd bothered in the first place."

"It's out of convenience, which I've told you once before." She retorted.

"You mean you'd hoped I would protect your weakness from the elements. The outside?" He scoffed, turning his eyes to her. "Remember this, little courtier. There is a _reason_ I am a _Count_ of the Nightmare Court. And it isn't because of my garishly good looks. You would do well to remember that." It was Aisling's turn to scoff.

"Ever so vain, Count." She replied. "But you forget. Despite your rank, a mere _newborn_ slipped right past your so carefully manicured fingernails." Meinhard growled, his eyes flashing a neon toxic green.

"Watch your mouth, Aisling." He said, ignoring the upturned smirk. "Or you may find that you don't have one much longer."

The two had traveled out of Caledon forest quickly and to the East, following a trail of whispers that led to the white Sylvari they both sought. Meinhard for control. Aisling… for unfinished business. Few people they asked were willing to give them the information they needed to give them headway into searching for her. Meinhard had a slight edge, knowing Kairith and his pathing throughout the world, and knew it would be all that much harder to find them. With luck, they'd found a bar that had seen them, and a small pink-haired asura, come through, retrieve supplies, and then head south, towing along _another_ sylvari that Meinhard had never heard of, and that Aisling seemed particularly mum about. So now, they tracked a group of four. They were outnumbered, and that was the only reason he hadn't already ditched Aisling at the first available moment. At least if she had to, the girl could fight. She wasn't _good_ per-say, but she would get the job done.

He was watching her closely though, unsure of whether or not her intentions were in keeping with the Courts ideals. She'd caved easily enough, but what did it mean in the end? He scoffed at himself. The Nightmare lived in her forever now. She would never be able to erase the truth, now that she had seen it.

And all that he had left now, was to make a certain mesmer see it too.

...

And that's a wrap for this chapter folks! Both arcs are reaching an ending point, and soon we should be seeing Iedreth's group meeting back up with Eileria, isn't that exciting! I also added a little bit of Aisling and Meinhard in there, so you wouldn't forget that they're still out there! I have to apologize, I don't know how many more chapters I will be able to get out before deployment. But while I'm overseas, I'll try my best to update as I can. The story may be on hiatus for a couple of months, but at the least, You will get a bunch of chapters when I return! Thank you all so much for staying with me, happy reading!


	23. Interfering Signals

Purpose: Chapter 23: Interfering Signals

...

"Boss, are you sure this is where we need to be for that last memory seed?" Rox asked cautiously, her green eyes flickering around uneasily.

"I'm sure, Rox." Eileria said, her concentration marred by the calling of the seed. She placed it on the ground where it began to glow, and she felt herself begin to fade into the memory.

"I'll be back soon. Watch my body for me?"

The darkness was back again. Just a slight pause before she would be again pulled into Caithe's point of view, this time, for the last time. If this didn't work… she wasn't sure what she'd be able to do next to find Caithe. But she'd come so close. There were so many questions, and she felt that she was so close to getting the answers. It scared her, but her curiosity was just as affluent as her fears. She was sad that, in order to find Caithe, she'd had to unearth things about her mentor that she never wanted to know. It seemed too personal, too grave. She felt a growing resentment to Caithe and her methods, and it broke her heart that she felt the way she did. Her relationship with the firstborn would never be the same.

And that's what she regretted the most.

Her eyes opened, and the disorientation began again. Her memories, from when she was young, her early years, the seemed to be overlapping with this memory. But only just. It cleared in moments and she felt herself reeling. She was glad this was the last memory seed. She wouldn't be able to take another dose of this memory diving. Marjory was right. It was taking a little piece of her away each time. Soon, there would be nothing left to take.

"You're not leaving until you tell me the truth!" Eileria forced herself to turn her attention to the raucous Faolain, who had Wynne cornered, bearing down on her like a starving wolf.

"Why!" Wynne wailed, her gentle eyes ridden with grief. "Why are you doing this?"

"Because I _need_ to know." Faolain said simply, wrapping her hand around Wynne's forearm harshly, causing the other firstborn to whimper.

" _We_ need to know," She added, glancing at Caithe. "Tell me what you and Mother were talking about that day. No lies Wynne. You know I can see right through them!"

"Faolain, please, this is unnecessary." Caithe said, placing a hand on Faolain's shoulder. Faolain sent an exasperated glance in the thief's direction, but Wynne nodded, pulling away from Faolain.

"Please, Faolain, stop this!" Wynne cried out harder. "I promised Mother I wouldn't tell anyone. Please… let's go talk with her-"

"I'll make you wish you never left the dream, traitor." Faolain said coldly. Wynne recoiled, as did Caithe, and suddenly Eileria could feel it. The change.

"Caithe…" Wynne said, her voice pleading, her eyes wide as she turned to the green Sylvari. Eileria felt an overwhelming sadness take over her, but it was stifled slightly by Caithe's feeling of exasperation.

"Caithe I swore to Mother…" She whimpered.

"Wynne…. Just, just tell her what she wants to know. Then we can go home. This will all be over."

"She's betraying us, Caithe!" Faolain argued, turning her blazing gaze to the thief. "It's as clear as the tears on her face."

"Faolain… maybe… maybe this has gone too far."

"No… no, it hasn't gone nearly far enough." Faolain stood up, releasing Wynne's arm in disgust, a petulant look upon her face. Then, an odd expression crossed Faolain's face. Something Eileria knew well from experience with Nightmare Courtiers. It was the desire to inflict pain.

"Maybe… pain, will make her talk. I saw a bristle-burn plant on the way in. Watch her, Caithe? I'll be back shortly." She sent a disdainful glance in Wynne's direction before running off to find her despicable plant. Wynne grabbed Caithe and forced her to look her in the eye.

"Those centaurs didn't have to die." She said, her eyes wide. "You must see that she's going too far this time, Caithe, don't you? And… she's dragging you down with her." Caithe opened her mouth to respond but Wynne was already speaking, her words moving quickly.

"I can't tell her what she's asking for, Caithe. You've seen what Faolain's capable of. She massacred them!" Caithe sighed.

"Wynne, they attacked first. She was just defending herself."

"No, Caithe. She struck first. That centaur? He was unarmed." Caithe recoiled, her eyes widening in disbelief.

"I…. I…. No… I don't think she'd…" Caithe stammered, looking for any ground to stand on in regards to Faolain's deeds. But she found nothing.

"She'll torture me until I tell my secret…. And that… that will be the end of our kind." Caithe turned to Wynne, her eyes wide as Wynne's burden finally seemed to come crashing down on her. Her shoulders slumped, and her eyes seemed to glaze over, as if she were watching something faraway that no one else could see.

"The end of Sylvari… what do you mean, Wynne?" Wynne turned her eyes to Caithe, a profound sadness taking over her. She looked upon her fellow firstborn with pity.

"We come from the jungle dragon, Caithe." Wynne said slowly. Allowing Caithe to process what she was saying. "We belong to it. We're meant to serve it. It is, in a word, our destiny."

Eileria could feel herself stop breathing, and it seemed Caithe had as well. This was not what she had been expecting at all. So all this time… They'd been born to serve Mordremoth. But then why… Why hadn't they?

It dawned on Eileria quickly, and she wondered if Wynne had come to the conclusion as well. The Pale Tree's seed had been planted, grown, and nurtured to be fair, loving, just. She had been born cradling the very Tablet of Ventari, so loved were her branches. With it, from the human and centaur, teaching her, nurturing her to grow in love, she'd broken free of the natural corruption that the dragon represented. True freedom. True life.

But it would not stay this way. The Jungle Dragon's whispers were loud, and chaotic. Many had already given in, and more undoubtedly would, in time.

"You're lying!" Caithe whispered, interrupting Eileria's train of thought.

"I saw it in my dream, Caithe." Wynne said harshly, her eyes scanning Caithe's face. "And if Faolain knew… we both know she wouldn't keep it a secret."

Eileria could see what that information would have meant, in the wrong hands. Faolain, who even now was showing signs of despising the Pale Tree for her insistence on the tablet and its teachings, would have taken the information and sewed discord amongst the sylvari, turning more to nightmare, and cursing them to a shattered existence.

"She'd use it against Mother." Wynne said, echoing Eileria's thoughts. "When word would get out… when it _does_ get out. The world will see us as monsters." Wynne shook her head, a sadness overwhelming her.

"You know here, better than all of us, Caithe. All she _wants_ is power. Think about it. She will do anything. She will _break_ me…" She paused. "Unless… you kill me first. Faolain must never know… must never learn." Eileria felt as though she'd been punched in the gut. Wynne had asked Caithe to kill her. To hid the secret. To keep the Dream safe, and to keep the sylvari unsullied against the opinions of the rest of Tyria. She wept, and felt her heart break at the firstborn's pain.

"Please… Caithe you must do it." Wynne said. "Kill me…. Now. She's coming!" She looked fearfully towards the direction Faolain had travelled in. Caithe lifted her dagger, pulling Wynne in close for an embrace. The burgundy skinned sylvari wept, sinking into the thief's chest as her dagger was raised high.

"I will bear your pain… sister."

Eileria had never cried so hard in her life. The pure agony of watching her mentor, Caithe, kill her own sister, was so hard to bear she felt as though she were breaking into a thousand pieces. She could figuratively feel it shatter as she wept for her firstborn sister. She hardly heard Faolain's return and she felt the familiar fading as she disseminated back to reality.

Only to face the very woman she had just viewed the memory of.

...

"Fresco!" The asura in question turned his attention to the newly brainwashed Srol, who was tinkering with a small box, his eyes unfocused.

"What is it _now_?" He demanded, his eyes rolling slightly. The head scientist looked at him and blinked.

"I did it." He said simply, holding up the small cube, which flashed discreetly as he held it. "I call it, 'Memorial-Modification-Mechanism'. Triple M for short. You press this button here, and it amplifies a neural synapse in the hippocampus to stimulate memory growth and repair. After all these years…. I finally have done it!" Fresco came up to the scientist slowly, taking the cube and observing it shrewdly.

"How permanent is it?" He asked quietly. "Can you modify one's memories, or just repair cells?"

"For now I'd say modification of the memory is outside of this little box's realm." Srol said slowly. "But perhaps with a little more tinkering with the arcane pule-wires, I could get it to work."

"What I am _getting_ at, Srol, is whether or not it is reversible." He emphasized. Srol scratched his head.

"It shouldn't _need_ to be reversed." Srol replied. "I don't understand, Fresco, what are you trying to do-"

"STOP!" Hiami skidded to a halt a few feet from the two asura, her ears lifted up at the corners, her teeth bared and her sword raised. Fresco sighed, narrowing his eyes at the young asura.

"Have you _no_ sense of decorum, progeny?" Fresco asked, scandalized. "You are interrupting important, life changing work here!"

"The only one who'll have anything life-changing is you, Fresco." Hiami countered. "So put the cube down."

"I'm afraid I can't do that." He remarked, a wicked smile lighting up his face. He raised the cube high above his head, a single finger on a small blue button on the side. "You and your friends are just a tad too late." Hiami leapt at the asuran scientist but he pressed the button and a high pitched wail began to screech out of the box. Srol covered his ears, gazing up at the asura.

"You can't just set it off in this kind of environment, Fresco!"

"Nonsense! Srol, be a good lad and finish off the intruders, would you?" Srol's eyes glazed over, and his posture became taut, tense. He reached down to pull a plasma gun from his hip, training it on Hiami's forehead.

The plasma bullet would have been a direct hit had Curran not jumped to meet it. It slammed into the chest plate of his armor, pierced through and buried itself inside his left chest cavity, sending him tumbling to the ground and groaning in agony. Hiami screeched and collapsed to his side. Iedreth and Kairith paused their attacks in shock.

"Curran!" Hiami said, shaking the revenant slightly. "Why would you do that!"

"He's your father, Hiami." He grunted out, seething a bit. "I'll recover, but you wouldn't have, even if you'd survived. You know how to stop that maniac, you're smarter than he is." Hiami shook his head, her hands brushing over the wound as if she couldn't believe it was there.

"Hiami!" He said sternly. "I-ugh- will be alright! Save your father. Don't let him hit you with one of those bullets." Hiami stood, her resolve shaken. Iedreth sent her a glance and nodded, and Kairith shadow-stepped away from the group to attack Fresco.

Hiami took a deep breath and steeled herself, holding up the claymore. How was she going to do this? She couldn't kill Srol. Fresco maybe. Destroying the box seemed like the easiest option, but she had a feeling it had a failsafe, especially if it was her father's invention. That being said, she wasn't sure it _could_ be destroyed. She faltered slightly as she watched her paternal progenitor shoot at Kairith as he methodically circled the room, stepping like smoke through the bullets that passed him by. Iedreth was already engaging Fresco, but was meeting resistance in the form of a strange static shield. Fresco laughed.

"Fools! If you thought I'd come into this unprepared, you were mistaken!" He pressed another button on the box and Hiami felt her limbs warp slightly, as if the sound had literally taken the form of a solid and impacted her skin.

Then the pain started. She knew it wasn't just her. She heard Iedreth cry out in pain and her mesmer clones shattered without her permission. Kairith's shadow-stepping slowed, and she heard him groan in pain as well. Srol dropped his plasma pistol and began to claw at his ears. Hiami's pink eyes scanned until she found Fresco. But the Asura was unharmed by the sound waves coming from the box, despite it being so close to him. But how? She was baffled, unsure of how it was possible, until she caught something shiny out the corner of her eye in Fresco's ear.

"That's…. it…." She grunted out, crawling to her backpack. She rummaged around inside and pulled out the cube she'd been using to expand heat waves. Her hands trembled as the sound frequency increased, and she struggled to light a match to put in the box.

"Come… on…" She groaned out, finally lighting the match and setting it in the box, where it coalesced and wound into a tight ball of fire.

"Eureka!" She shouted, shifting a lever on the box and pressing a button. "It's…. about to get… hot…"

The heat coming from the box radiated heavily through the air permeating the air and making every fleshling in the room sweat within seconds. Fresco's face contorted, and all of a sudden, he yelped, dropping the cube and clawing at his ears, drawing out two silencing metal ear plugs, likely designed specifically to cancel out certain frequencies and decibel levels. Hiami had to give it to him, even if she didn't like him, he at least knew what he had to do to stop them. Hiami watched as the metal on the little box warped, the lights becoming very bright before bursting, and the sound waves stopped altogether. The little box began to smoke.

"No… NO!" Fresco shouted, crawling over to Srol's invention and trying to grasp it in his hand, only for it to burn him as he touched it. Hiami reached over to her box and turned it off, extinguishing the fire and allowing the room to begin to cool. The group stood over Fresco, who was seething angrily over his burnt hand, and his broken laboratory.

"It's over, Fresco." Hiami said. "You're done with your experimentation, your _inventions_. The Arcane Eye and the Council will be _all_ over this."

"You can prove nothing!" Fresco said spitefully, his angry red eyes staring up at her bitterly. "All records of anything _illegal_ have been purged _years_ ago. Not to mention I have colleagues in all three colleges who would be more than willing-"

"Think again, Fresco." Hiami turned in shock to see her paternal progenitor standing over his lab partner, looking angrier than a minotaur on a hill. "I think it will be _just_ enough evidence to prove that I'm not dead after all these years. Just think… Such a tragic accident… But wait- What's this!"

"That proves nothing." Fresco said simply. "You could have been anywhere. Been doing any _thing_."

"Ah, I'm a bit smarter than you think I am, Fresco." Hiami watched, partly in disgust, partly in dark fascination as Srol popped out his right eye, where the scar had slashed through.

"You probably don't remember this, but you had one of your imbecilic assassins attempt to end my life before you set the clever laboratory explosion 'accidentally.'" Srol said. "He missed my heart, but he _did_ get my eye. I had it replaced, but not just with any old neurologically intrinsic occipital ranging orb. No, I made sure it was fitted with a camera. A very… specific, camera. I've been feeding a remote computer footage of you for _years_ stealing other asuran patents, killing scientists, and warping my memory and occipital functionality to dissuade natural congruence with my original work. Not to mention, you tried to kill my _only_ progeny." Fresco gulped and Srol turned up his nose in disgust, turning his attention to Hiami.

"I would like to talk to you, but now is not really the time." He said. "We need the Arcane Eye and the Council informed."

"I think… I can help with that…" Hiami squeaked as she ran back over to Curran, who was sitting hunched over, his armor stripped off, exposing his chest. Srol grimaced as He poured a strange golden liquid on the wound.

"I am sorry, for that." The asura said in chagrin. "Though I cannot begin to describe how grateful I am that you intercepted that bullet for my progeny." Curran attempted a smile, but it came out more as a grimace.

"I'm pretty fond of her myself." He said, chuckling under his breath. Hiami rolled her eyes, and helped gently smudge the healing ointment on his skin.

...Somewhat Later…...

The Order of Whispers had wasted little to no time in getting the resources necessary to contact the Arcane Eye and the Council immediately. Two representatives took waypoint pads and met the group on the surface, promising to scour the rest of the facility for more issues and related accidents and illegalities, while Agent Zee grumbled about his fun being ruined.

The group doubled back to the fort and Iedreth gave Kairith a look, and the two excused themselves, as well as Curran, who had taken to napping whilst they dealt with Fresco and his severely traumatized team of specialists, and took the wounded revenant to a small section of the barracks that was cleared out for them. Hiami knew they were just trying to give her some privacy, and turned to her paternal progenitor once more.

"I wish I could say I didn't think you were dead all this time…" Hiami said. "But I can't."

"I would have been more surprised if you had." Srol answered honestly. "I missed the entirety of your childhood. You were right, and smart, to forget about me completely."

"Not completely." She said, pulling out her thermal expander box. "Like father, like daughter, as the humans say." Srol reached out and took the box, allowing it to settle into his palm, and he observed the patterns.

"Indeed." He said enthusiastically. "And you said you were Synergetic's alumni?"

"Absolutely." Srol chuckled, handing the box back to her. "Well I can't say I've been less proud. Who knew a progeny of mine would perfect something in play that took me _years_ to develop." Hiami smiled, a sense of pride erupting in her chest.

"What will you do now, though?" She asked thoughtfully. "Your research is technically complete."

"Then I'll do what I originally planned, and apply for a job at the local medical center." Srol said. "My device was intended for use on patients with extensive brain damage and degraded memory tissue. I hope it will do some good now that it will be in the _right_ hands." Hiami nodded.

"What about yourself, Progeny?" Srol asked seriously. "Are you not actively researching or working on a thesis?"

"As a matter of fact, I am." Hiami responded. "I'm researching the difference in cultural synergy in regards to the dopamine levels in the brain and endorphin secretions accompanied by amorphous displays."

"You're studying relationships."

"That is accurate."

Srol paused, before laughing and brushing his hand across his face.

"At least it's something ever-evolving. I take it you've yielded satisfactory results thus far?"

"More than, but there's always plenty of data to collect across Tyria."

"I suppose I know what that means in terms of your plans." Srol replied. "I wish you the best of luck progeny. I am proud of the asura you have become. And… thank you. Pass that along to your travelling companions as well." Hiami beamed

"I will." She said. "Don't forget to say hi to Phyla for me!" Srol sputtered as Hiami turned heel, giggling, to rejoin her friends. He stared after her, a small, gentle smile gracing his face. He turned his invention in his hand, and watched as her pink hair disappeared behind the cold grey stone.

...

Wow, two chapters in one night! It took a total of 6 and a half hours to write both of these. Yikes. I had to kind of force the closure a little bit so that I could get to the next section, which is where a lot of my ideas are at. On another note, I now want to do a bunch of Elonian-centered drabbles for these characters, as I progress through the new expac. So be on the lookout for that as well! Keep on reading, I love the reviews and the PMs I get, I'm seriously so happy that people are enjoying my story! Thanks again! 3


	24. The Wastes

Purpose: Chapter 23: Wastes

...

Bryna looked up into the overcast sky again, her vision catching a few stray birds that flew past, and sighed for what felt like the hundreth time that morning. Ever since she'd woken up, she'd been bombarded by scholars, warmasters, and the like, all in attempts to forward the plans Trahearne was making to assault Maguuma. She enjoyed working with the firstborn, but his lackeys, or rather, papparazzi, were annoying and less than savory at times. She rubbed her forhead and closed her eyes. She wished Eileria was here. Though the mesmer was a Vigil Warmaster at heart, and thus, didn't always do the best when it came to diplomatic relations, she was a breath of fresh air that the Norn Guardian sorely wished was there with her. At least if she was present, she would have been able to assist Trahearne, and deflect the masses. A mere look from the sylvari intimidated even seasoned veterans.

"I take it it's time for a break, then?"

Trahearne's yellow eyes were quirked in amusment, his hands crossed and smile grim. Bryna chuckeled and dropped the roster of names for the manifest attached to one of the floating ships.

"You've read my mind, Marshall." She said, swiping her bright red hair out of her face. "I feel like a kettle left on the fire too long." She admitted, once they had walked away. "I know were close to breaking the convergence, so to speak, but I can't help feeling already mentally drained."

"I agree, that's why I take time _away_ from work." He replied knowingly. Bryna blushed, coughing into her hand.

"Yes well... There's plenty of work to be done..."

"Ah, if only Eileria could hear you now." He said happily, a light laugh in his voice. "I can only imagine she's the reason you drown yourself in work here. There are plenty of Warmasters and charters to go around. You don't _have_ to do it all."

"Feels like it sometimes." Bryna mumbled, to Trahearne's amusement.

"Have you heard from the commander, as of late?" Trahearne asked casually. Bryna shook her head.

"No, but I don't suppose I will anytime soon." She admitted half-heartedly. "She's been extremely busy since the attack on the Pale Tree. I trust whatever she's doing, it's vitally important."

"Ah, I thought as much." The firstborn said, turning his yellow eyes to the ground. "I do have to admit, I miss having her here, likely nearly as much as you do." He laughed when he caught the look on the Norn's face. "Or perhaps not, after all, you two are _quite_ the pair."

Bryna sighed again.

"I know she'd come in an instant if I asked. But I can't begrudge her her wyld hunt. She is doing what she is called to do. And the best way for me to support her, is to be here."

"She is a busy woman." Trahearne mused.

"All that aside, I think we should talk about some other matters that are going to be vitally important." Bryna said, morving the topic to more pressing matters. "Some of the other ships have been reporting... mutinous... behavior." Trahearne's face settled into a grim expression and his posture became all business.

"Yes, I have heard." He whispered. "At the risk of sending the camp into a panic, I've managed to keep all the reports off of the public record. But it's only a matter of time before word spreads, and spread it will, like wild fire."

"I have been keeping the reports I received on a need to know basis." Bryna reported, her voice equally quiet. "But still, there is more. They managed to contain one of the mutinous parties, all of which were... well... you know." She looked at Trahearne and he nodded. "Anyway...when they caught the man, he was ravenous, unrecognizable from the sylvari they had known. And when they confronted him, interrogated him, tortured him, he did nothing but screech and yowl about how Mordremoth would come for them all. Then... he went quiet for three days."

"What then?" Trahearne asked in a strained voice.

"It was almost as if he'd woken from a bad dream. He started calling out to one of the sailors he had killed several days before, a Wayne Levenns, and then demanded to know why he was locked up."

"A reversal of control?" Trahearne's voice was riddled with surprise.

"Temporarily." Bryna conceded. "They grabbed the captain and she asked him a few questions. All he wanted to know was where Wayne was. When she told him, he went into a catatonic state, and supposedly lost the will to continue on. He was found dead in his cell that night, and they're still unsure of how or why it happened."

"This is troubling news, my friend." Trahearne said. "It means something though, that Mordremoth's control has the potential to reverse itself, at least, in the early stages."

"I wouldn't count on it the closer we get to the heart of Maguuma." Bryna stated. "Dragon's are notorious for greater control in their actual body. Mordremoth won't stop at a few sylvari here or there. His jungle is on the prowl for expansion." Trahearne nodded at the subtle warning. Though a firstborn, he too had heard the whispers. And though they were alluring, or at least persistant, he'd felt no need to join the army of the Jungle Dragon. That didn't make him any less suspicious to the masses.

"Then we best keep up our defenses, and work on our best _offenses_ , don't you think?" He offered. Bryna smiled and nodded her head.

"I wish Eileria were here." She said softly, her eyes drawing to the sky again. "While I know she's doing something important, I can't help but want her here to be my rock instead."

...

Eileria could hardly believe her eyes. After all that searching, the literal _mountains_ she'd had to cross. She'd finally found Caithe. _They'd_ finally found her.

"Caithe."

"Eileria? What are you doing here?" Caithe asked, her footsteps already backtracking towards the exit. "Is that what I think that is? Is that a memory seed?" Eileria felt a hot washing of shame come across her, but she smothered it, needing not lose her resolve.

"Yes, Mother gave it to me." Eileria said, forcing herself to a stand, but needing to steady herself against Rox, who held out an arm helpfully. "She thought it would help me find you." Caithe's eyes were wide as she took in the information, and then they narrowed into near slits.

"Then I presume it was _my_ memories that you saw?" Caithe asked, taking another step backwards, almost unnoticed by all.

"You presume correctly." Eileria said bitterly. "Is it true? Caithe?" Caithe stopped her regression backwards momentarily, almost shocked by the question. She tightened the straps around her arms.

"Which part of it?" She asked, equally as bitterly. She then sighed, closing her eyes for a moment. "Yes. All of it. That's what really happened." Eileria felt a choked sob escape her throat and she slapped a hand to her mouth to keep it from getting out. Her companion's reached out for her but she waved them off gently, turning her gaze unwillingly to Caithe again.

"You are not the woman that I thought you were." Eileria replied slowly, shaking her head. "How could you do that to her? To your own sister!"

"You saw what she asked of me." Caithe responded. "It was better that way-"

"Regardless, Caithe, she's dead now." Eileria said, her voice soft. "And what of Faolain, then?" Caithe seemed taken aback.

"I told Faolain to run. That she could not return to the grove, as she was. She begged me to come with her, but I could not follow that road. She went with her guards, her... companions. She was like them, and they accepted her for her darkness." Eileria nodded.

"Wynne wouldn't have wanted to die." Eileria said firmly. "And She'll never be able to assist us like she could now. With Mordremoth active and on the move." She glanced at Caithe's bag, her eyes flitting back to the thief's face.

"Caithe, give me the egg back." Eileria urged, stepping forward slowly, as if approaching a startled elk. "The Pale Tree has designated me as it's caregiver. It has called to _me_."

"I can't." Caithe said, taking several steps back, coming to a stop when she realized Braham was blocking the cave entrance. "You don't understand- I have to do this- I've been called." Eileria stuttered back a step confused.

"Caithe-"

"Boss, we got a problem..." Eileria snapped to look at Braham, who had his mace drawn and a look of worry etched upon his face. Rox was drawing her bow and Kasmeer was watching dumbfoundedly at the entrance to the cave, which was suddenly overrun with deadly, thorned, living vines.

"I think we've attracted unwanted company." Rox said, nocking an arrow and closing her left eye, aiming. "We're not going to get out of this cave unless we cull those vines!" Eileria nearly growled in frustration. Always. Always as they got so close, _something_ interrupted it, every. Single. Time.

"Clear those vines- There's always something else not far behind!" Eileria called, unsheathing her dual blades and sliding forward, keeping Caithe in her periferal.

"Yes boss!" Braham and Rox answered in Tandem. Kasmeer's eyes glowed as she began to channel her magic, a purple orb forming before her at chest level. Marjory unsheathed her sister's sword, her magical aura swirling around her. Eileria slashed her blades into the first row of lethal vines, taking care to stay unhurried as she watched around her. The vines were always a chance of diversion.

 _There is nowhere you can hide from me, my children._

Eileria stuttered to a halt at the whispering echo within her head. She hadn't heard the dragon speaking to her in quite some time. Not that she could ever forget it, but with everything she'd been doing, all she'd been chasing... The dragon had taken a back seat to the rest of her pursuits. Caithe it seemed, too, had heard the dragon, staggering slightly and skittering to the edge of the cave, eyes wide.

 _That egg. It belongs to me._

Eileria grit her teeth as she glanced over at Caithe, suddenly surrounded by three very large vine-husks. Each bore down on her with menace, and she split her energies into two, creating a clone at the thiefs location, in an attempt to divert some of the attention. It worked, drawing two of the husks to attack the magical clone, leaving Caithe easily able to manuever around the third husk that had focused itself on her.

Braham had cleared the remainder of the attacking brambles and vines by the entrance when an ear-splitting roar was heard, and the cavern shook with the sheer force of the sound. Everyone stood completely still, eyes wide and looks of horror upon their faces.

"It can't be." Kasmeer whispered, clutching her staff for support. "It sounds just like..."

"I think it's safe to assume there will be more than one." Braham exclaimed, his mace tightly bound between his hands.

The low grumble of the nightmare shadow dragon gave way to the sound of flapping wings and rustling foliage. The creature landed outside the entrance to the cave, opening its foul mouth to let forth another shattering roar.

"We can't let that thing destroy the egg!" Eileria called, swinging her sword and conjouring two more illusions in the process. "We have to take it down, or all this will be for nothing!" Her comrades swallowed their fears, steeling their hearts as the dragon bore down upon them, it's roar still echoing in the small cavern.

 _Stubborn fools. There is no escape from me. Not even in death._

Eileria blatantly ignored the voice resounding in her head, allowing herself to calmly assess the situation at hand. The dragon was priority. The vines did minimal to no damage, but the shadow of the dragon would ultimately be their downfall should they let down their guard.

Using a smiliar strategy that she used to fight the dragon in the grove, Eileria rolled about cautiously, avoiding projectiles and using her clones to daze the creature, whom roared in agony each time it was struck by her mesmer magic. Braham and Rox pelted the creature with attacks, their faces filled with concentration, and nerves as they engaged the giant. Kasmeer was sending bolts of magic at the creature as well, though her eyes continued to dart at the necromancer to her left, who was sending her own dark magics at the creature, her long greatsword drawn and a face of concentration upon her face. Eileria focused her attention to the creature, and sighed.

Each time she battled this dragon she felt like it warped her. Almost like a wilting flower without the sun. The Pale Tree's misfortune had taken away her sun, her warmth. The protection and love she'd always felt.

Now, she had nothing to rely on but her friends, and her own skill to save herself.

The agony of that fact was nearly overwhelming.

The vines, vicious and barbed like needles attacked in tandem with the dragon, not allowing a moment's distraction or hesitation. She swiftly sent one of her illusions to deal with a sudden outcropping, and turned her attention back to Braham, who had clubbed the creature in the head, earning a tangled snarl and a swipe from the creature's plant-like claw.

"Braham!" Rox shouted, nocking another arrow and swiftly striking the creature in one of it's eyes. As it howled in agony, she grabbed the Norn, who was shaking off the hit, and dragged him back. Eileria stepped forward, swords held offensively in front of her.

"I'm no one's servant, Mordremoth." She whispered, her eyes glowing beneath her blindfold, the magic flowing within her. Her strikes were swift, graceful, as she cut and twisted, and danced around the menacing dragon, her illusions shattering in mirror like projectiles and dancing too, like a ritual of destruction as the creature's very limbs seemed to carve off seamlessly, the roar deafening in the cave. Bone minions shared in the destruction, shifting and slipping around the dragon, biting at it's massive claws, leaving no part un-touched. Kasmeer's magic bounced from source to source, empowering Eileria and Marjory's minions, but damaging the dragon in the process.

Braham steadied himself, shaking his head to make sure his vision was clear. He gave a wink to Rox, and charged near headlong into the dragon, his mace swining up with a sickening _crunch_ as it made contact with the dragon's snout.

The creature began to back away, limping and seething, realizing it was losing its fight. It roared, sending the group skidding back, holding their arms in front of their eyes as random debris and pieces of tree came flying past them.

"Oh no you don't!" Rox cried out, nocking another arrow and sending it flying into the creature's makeshift wings. It struck in just the right spot, and the wing collapsed, leaving the creature unable to make an aerial escape. It roared again.

"It's time to finish this." Eileria said, sheathing one of her swords and latching her shield to her arm. "To arms!"

The dragon could not withstand its handicap, and though still strengthened by the jungle dragon, the creature was no match for Eileria's band of warriors. It collapsed to the forrest floor, dead, lifeless, and no longer a source of terror for the world. Eileria scoped out the skies, looking for a possible backup, but even the vines had retreated into the ground at the dragon's defeat. It seemed Mordremoth could only take so many losses in one day. Eileria felt herself leer at the dragon in questions, whose voice had, in fact, gone quiet yet again.

"Boss?" Rox asked, poking at the creature's head tentatively. "Why do you think he sent this thing all the way out here?"

"I suspect it was for the egg." She replied. Then paused. The egg.

She turned around, and then again. And then a third time.

"Caithe?" She said loudly, her eyes scanning the area around, before running back into the cave, looking around in a panic. "Caithe!"

"She's gone, boss." Marjory said, placing a gentle hand on the sylvari's shoulder. "She must have made her escape when we were trying to take the dragon down." Eileria didn't know how to respond to that. Her mentor left them to deal with the creature on their own. Some friend. Despite this though...

"Are you sure she's not being... well, influenced by Mordremoth?" Rox asked, her voice cautious and slow. Eileria's eyes flickered to the charr, her brow furrowed in frustration.

"She's not." Eileria assured her. "If it's one thing I know about Caithe... She has her reasons. They're the wrong reasons. But she won't give up that egg to Mordremoth. I just... I have a feeling."

"Well, not to contradict you, but..."

"I know, I know." Eileria said, sighing to herself and then rubbing her forhead. "The sylvari will carry all sorts of suspicion now that the Dragon has become active. It seems like there truly is not way to avoid it now."

"But you trust Caithe? Still?" Rox pressed. Eileria shrugged, sheathing her weapons and grabbing her bag from where she'd planted the memory seed.

"Not trust her but... I just know. She's not an agent of the dragon. But we will get that egg back. I will protect Glint's legacy." Eileria looked up into the filtered light coming through the forest's trees, her mind flying to a million places at once.

...

Well, I didn't think I'd finish this in time! I don't have as much time to write as I'd like to, and even when I do, I tend to get some serious writers block. Luckily for you all, I'm adding another story to my collection which will be called _Whispering Love_ and is a drabble collection for my Guild Wars 2 characters. So expect that sometime soon! I hope you're enjoying the story, we'll soon be joining some familiar characters together and adding some new ones in! Just be prepared! 3


	25. The Stirrings

Purpose: Chapter 25: The Stirrings

...

Curran was sure he had to be dreaming.

For one thing, he was alone. He knew by this fact alone that this was not reality. He had fallen asleep not too long ago, beside his companion, Hiami, and distinctly remembered wrapping his arms around her before falling into a deep sleep. For another, It was dark, but not impossible to see. In fact he _could_ see a pulsing, almost like electricity, flowing along what looked like a leyline. But larger. Cyclindrical, and yet... _alive_. He was sure, whatever it was, it wasn't something he wanted to mess with.

He peered around into the omnescent darkness, searching for some familiarity, something to catch his bearings. But all he could see in any direction was the strange pulsing things that surrounded him.

 _Maguuma. Your true home is in Maguuma._

The voice startled him out of his musings. The electricity-like pulsing grew larger, more frequent. He stopped, feeling suddenly cold.

"No." He responded, his eyes narrowing against the darkness. "No, my home is wherever I want it to be."

The images came without his permission. A world, green and beautiful, like the grove but _more_ than the grove, larger. Expanded. Lush. Exotic. It could only be Maguuma, a place few had stepped foot in before. He saw the canopy and the jungle floor. He saw the roots, the vines, the earth as it fed the pulsing leylines around it. He could feel the dragon's presense, so omnipotent, so overwhelming, he could do nothing but stare in silence. But it _felt_ like home. It felt welcoming, despite the overwhelming presense of the elder dragon. He felt the urge to follow, to go there, to be there, with his brother's and sisters.

A nearly irresistable call. Nearly.

 _My child. Maguuma will always be your true home. My children belong with me, safely, here._

"No." Curran said, shaking his head, trying to rid himself of the images burned to the back of his lids. "I do not belong to you."

The darkness was back, then, and Curran felt a sense of dread wash over him. The dragons essense seemed to surround him, trying to suffocate him.

 _You cannot defy your father._

Curran could feel the strange shapes constrict around him, like large snakes, giant anacondas that wanted to see his body crushed to splinters. The energy that pulsed through them moved lethally.

 _I can make you so much stronger._

Curran shut his eyes, refusing to allow the dragon to feed him any more lies. His eyes had seen the lies of the world as often as they'd seen the truths. He wasn't going to allow it anymore. He centered himself, allowed his aura to cool. A technique he'd learned whilst he existed in the mists. He allowed his other senses, hearing, smell, touch, to evolve, grow exponentially. Sight was completely disregarded, and with it, the potential for hypnosis, seduction by the dragon's superfluous images. He relied on it no longer. The dragon hissed.

He knew he had to wake from the dream. It would allow him to reorient himself easier, allow him to fight the dragon while concious. Something the Dragon no doubt was trying to avoid. A consious and fighting target was harder to seduce then one who lay helpless and asleep. However... the target he'd chosen was not an ordinary sylvari.

Curran swung his arms around just in time to block a thick vine, pulsing with ley energy as it barreled towards him. The sheer force of the brutish column skidded him back several feet, and he raised his arms again in defense, his eyes held shut tightly.

 _So strong. Why do my strongest children resist me so? Can you not see that I built you this way... Molded you, so that you might join me?_

The sylvari revenant hardly acknowledged the comment, instead turning his attention to an edge of the endless room where he sensed an escape. The dream was going to come to an end. He began to run, to sprint towards the shift in the space, where the shift of reality and dream collided. The dragon's roar was nearly deafening as he ran, his lungs burning with all of the effort.

 _I will_ never _disappear child, remember that..._

It was early morning, the sun was hardly peeking over the horizen through the window of the inn they'd stopped at. Curran's breathing was fast, his heart racing quickly in his chest. He clasped a hand to it warily, his eyes glued to the window as the sun rose. He heard a shift of the blankets, and a warm palm pressed up against his cheek.

"S'matter?" Hiami whispered sleepily, her eyes half lidded as she took in his taut appearance. "Nightmare?"

"Something of the sort." He said slowly, turning his gaze to the small pink Asura. "I didn't mean to disturb you."

"Not disturbed." She said, yawning. "Just felt a change in your natural sleeping algorhithm. Made me curious as to why."

"He's starting to get testy again." Curran said lowly. Hiami grimaced. Since they'd left Blood Tide Coast, they'd decided to head south towards Mount Maelstrom, finding themselves stopping near Murkvale. In that time, they'd noticed some strange changes. Though the Elder Dragon Zhaitan had been defeated some time prior, the undead still marched, without purpose, throughout the lower reaches of Tyria. A lot of the areas, though recovering, still needed healing, and culling of the undead. Not completely ready to face the new dragon head on, the group had thought it best to finish Iedreth's training here, and spend a little time in Orr before meeting the rest of the Pact fleet in the Silverwastes.

"Is the dragon speaking to you again?" Hiami asked, her eyes now wide awake, leaning on her elbows as she took in Curran's appearance. "What was he saying?"

"A lot of the same." Curran admitted, rubbing at his arm absently. "Trying to provoke me with images of Maguuma."

"Sounds like a sadistic type of dragon."

"He does indeed like to play upon the insecurities of one's weakness."

"Are you concerned?"

Curran paused at the question, unsure of how to answer. Was he concerned? He knew he could recognize the dragon's attempts at seduction from a mile away. He wasn't concerned that he wouldn't be able to stop himself if something were to happen. Or to think he couldn't resist... He looked at Hiami and felt his brow furrow.

"Not for me." He said. "We are a long way from Maguuma though. For him to be reaching this far out..."

"He's getting stronger." Hiami agreed, sitting up and stretching slightly. "We won't be able to linger here long. The Pact will have already begun to make moves to destroy the Vines and tendrils that block the entrance to Maguuma... If the dragon hasn't invited them in already..."

...

"What do you mean, they've left already?" Eileria's voice was higher than normal in distress. She had hardly believed it when she'd seen several of the floating ships had left the docking area, and refused to believe Trahearne would force a move inward without waiting on her. She felt _almost_ insulted.

"Commander, It was a most urgent departure." The scribe stammered, trying hard not to fold under the commander's cold gaze. "Marshall Trahearne and some of Destiny's Edge... They departed to begin the assault. They said time was running out."

Eileria cursed under her breath. This was the last thing she needed on her plate, was to now have to chase down her Marshall, her friends, and try to warn them. It was a trap. The dragon was waiting for them.

But... Perhaps they had already known. And that was why they chose to make their move. Eileria nearly growled in frustration.

"Alright, fine. Where is the second Commander, Bryna Cloud?" She barked impatiently, nearly tapping her foot in aggravation. The scribe gulped, looking slightly scared.

"Well... erm..." Eileria's eyes narrowed. "She was last seen aboard Marshall Trahearne's Vessel." Eileria turned on her heel and quickly moved down the descending steps to where her friends were waiting, cautious eyes staring at her.

"Boss?" Rox asked tentatively. "Is everything alright?"

"They've left." Eileria said bitterly, her shoulders stooped forward. "Three of their vessels took off to Maguuma. We didn't have a chance to warn them." The collective gasp was nearly resounding.

"So... who then...?"

"Braham..." Eileria said, lifting her pale lavendar eyes tiredly to the norn. "You know Eir was on that ship." Braham's shoulder's shook with anger, and he glared into the empty sky, as if he could somehow recall the ships into it.

"How could they just leave like that?" He asked angrily, his voice shaking. "We have to go after them, we don't know-"

"I know, Braham. I know." Eileria said slowly. "We have no choice now. We have to go to Maguuma. It's where we'll find the Pact. It's where we'll find the egg. " She sighed, rubbing her forhead.

"Boss, do they have intentions of sending another ship?" Marjory asked, peering over to the docking station, where a slightly smaller, leaner ship was still docked.

"I'm not sure." Eileria replied honestly, looking off towards the docks as Marjory did. "Last I heard they only had three working vessels. They each carried a couple hundred sailors. The one that's there now-" She pointed to the smaller, leaner ship. "Is a faster, newer model. But incomplete. Carries around fifty troops."

"What's wrong with it?" Braham asked anxiously, eyeing up the piece of metal curiously. Eileria shrugged.

"I'd have to ask the technicians. Honestly, I'm not sure even _they_ know whats wrong with it."

"We have to get into that jungle, Boss." Braham exclaimed. "My... Eir may be legendary but..."

"I know, there's a lot more to this than meets the eye." Eileria replied. "We'll do everything we can, Braham. But first, we need to find out when they're going to fix that ship. That, is our ticket out of here."

...

Bryna shivered, but it had nothing to do with the temperature. There was something eerie about the sloping curves of the canopy they were raised above as they silently sailed through the air. The vines were alive, that much was clear. And _large._ She had never seen such large protrusions before. They looked lethal. But even worse was the clear-cut tension that everyone could feel rolling off the crew in waves. Especially the Sylvari crewmembers, who's eyes shifted edgily from face to face as if unsure of who to trust. Bryna felt her grip tighten involuntarily on the haft of her mace. A hand closed over her own.

"Easy, my friend." Trahearne said lowly, his yellow eyes peering at each of the crewmates. "We've made the journey well so far. Let's not get too paranoid."

"Can you hear it now?" Bryna asked, the convoluted question hard to understand to third party ears. But Trahearne understood. His lips straightened into a thin line.

"Yes. It's got quite the plethora of vocabulary now that we're within Its territory." Trahearne replied in a tone barely above a whisper. "It's very...delighted. That we've come so close. It's a little unnerving, to say the least."

"Delighted." Bryna scoffed, the word grating on her nerves further. "Your choice of words leaves much to be desired." Trahearne laughed nervously, his yellowed eyes flashing with their natural bioluminescence.

As they continued their silent descent, they heard strange new sounds, whistles of birds that didn't exist in other parts of Tyria. Strange throaty sounding croaks blearing out from the shadows of the large-as-roof leaves. Smells of mulch and rot and earth combined with sweat and metal, swirling in the wind as it filtered by their ships. Bryna peered around again at their party. Charr. Human. Norn. Asura. Sylvari. All packed onto this vessel, sailing into unknown territory to fight the elder dragon that had killed their comrades, destroyed their homes, stricken their brothers and sisters, corrupted their lovers. They were here to fight. They were scared, some tired. Some eclectically awake, watching. Waiting. Wary.

Her eyes scanned the jungle again, scoping our the lush canopy for sections to permeate. There wasn't a lot of area to work with, and it looked like the jungle was made up of an unending fall, and some platforms with strange trees and mushrooms littering the edges. The wildlife was scattered about, paid no attention to them as they passed above them.

The first sign that something had changed was the wind.

The breeze stopped completely, the strange exotic smells with it. Bryna stiffened, feeling an almost tangible change in the atmosphere, the sweating heat increase and the high screeching of the insects keening off. A pulsing sound was heard a moment before a scream rang out on their ship.

One of the vigil archers, a spindly pale birch colored sylvari with Green accents was on his knees, hands scratching at his face. His eyes, once a leafy green, were now a pusling red, his face stuck in a permanant grimace.

"Trahearne!" Bryna cried out, unsheathing her mace and shield, standing hear ground as several other sylvari fell to their knees, clawing at their ears or heads. The Marshall was gripping the edge of the platform, holding his head in pain. He glanced up with one eye as Bryna called to him, and she noted his eyes were still golden.

"Bryna, help me restrain them!" Eir Stagalkin called, nocking another arrow and training it on the nearest Sylvari to her. Bryna turned to the nearest one her, and shifted herself slowly, holding out an arm.

"Caine-" She called out to the Birch Colored sylvari. But the archer's eyes were menacing as he gazed back at her, their depths altered. Their passion redirected.

He dove at her and she sidestepped, causing him to miss her by inches and roll lithely onto the wooden deck. He recovered quickly, on his feet at the same time that Bryna brought her shield to her face. His foot collided with it, and suddenly Bryna was aware of the din across the ship as comrades fought the mind-controlled sylvari off. Everywhere, the sylvari were attacking, gnashing teeth, swiping at their comrades in arms. It was utter chaos. And with such _strength_ they moved!

"Hold them back!" Eir called again, striking one of the attacking sylvari with the edge of her bow. "Trahearne! Get a hold of yourself!"

"Right-"

An earsplitting crack rang out and broke the deafening fighting. Bryna's eyes widened in shock as the hull of the ship began to crack, the planks of wood straining under the immense pressure of something large, which proved to be a living vine the size of an elder dragon's arm.

Bryna's arms reached out to grab onto anything, find any purchase in the deck, but they were slipping, soldiers were falling off the deck and into the endless abyss, as the ship cracked and snapped while the vine grinded it to smithereens. She rammed into the docking station and the breath was knocked from her, as a piece of the mast cracked loose, falling and meeting her into darkness.

...

Here's the last one for now guys, I hope you've enjoyed the little spurts! I miss writing this, I haven't had as much time lately! Thank you all for keeping up, More to come in the future!


	26. Battles Before War

Purpose: Chapter 26: Battles Before War

...

Eileria paced in front of the small airship that was now crawling with blacksmiths, carpenters and the like, all trying to quickly repair the structural damage that had occured during a test run of the airship. Inside, a few priory engineers were troubleshooting the basic functions of the interior gearshifts, working on busting the corrosion and odds and ends that had caused it to crash in the first place. Her group of friends eyed her warily as she paced, unsure of how to approach her, or how to break her silent brooding. They'd decided pretty unanimously that it was in their best interest to avoid asking her anything at all, at least until her bad mood had passed.

Though much of the Pact had gone on one of the three airships that travelled to Maguuma, still a few remained behind, mostly charting, enchanting weapons and goods, and mapping out points of interest across the jungle that most of them had never even seen before. Despite this, the energy around the camp was eclectic, charged, anxious. A few of those who remained behind would stop to look at the commander, before sweeping back to whatever work they had paused from. She barely paid them any mind.

"How far do you think they could have gotten?" Marjory whispered to Kasmeer, sending a quick glance in the commander's direction. "Do you think we'll be able to catch them?"

"Not all that likely." Kasmeer said solemnly. "More than likely, they are already deep within the jungle fighting off whatever dangers lie there. I wouldn't doubt they've already started to tear a bloody swath through the jungle."

"I'm not so certain." Rox interjected. "Who knows what's out there. Nothings come back, no ones come back. It's been the Dragon's territory for so long, navigating it has been nearly impossible."

"I'd rather not think on the worst-case scenario." Braham admitted, scratching at his head. "They have a strong group. We just have to catch up to them."

"If only it were that simple." Kasmeer said, staring at the small vessel as it was being worked on. "These things take time. We're running out of it, and fast."

...

"Look, up ahead!" Hiami called out. Her three companion sylvari all turned to see that indeed, there were two figures, one unmistakably asuran, the other humanoid in appearance, but looking decidedly... plant like. A sylvari no doubt. The group quickly trudged through the swampy area and made their way down the gentle decline onto the platform that the two figures were resting on. Their camp was small, evidence that there were few of them there. Various strangely colored weapons lay against a wooden rack and random pod seeds were strewn about, closest to the female sylvari. She was sifting through a leatherbound notebook absentmindedly, a pencil behind her ear. The asura was watching her out of the corner of his eye, but looked away very delibrately as the newcomers approached.

"Ah, visitors. What brings you to Mount Maelstrom?" He asked, crossing his arms and narrowing his eyes ever so slightly. Hiami stepped forward.

"We're just here to help cull some of the undead that plague the area." She said cheerfully. "Just happened across the two of you." She took a quick, questioning glance between them before turning the core of her attention to the asura. "What is it you're researching out here?"

"I'm actually just here to ensure the successful pod implantation of Lorentha's research." He admitted softly, his eyes trailing back to her for a moment before bouncing back. "She's managed to create a turret pod resistant to the rot of the undead, and weaponized it. Quite clever. We've cleared out many of the remaining undead with them, and it's left us quite bored in it's wake." He paused for a moment, then gestured to the weapons behind him.

"Those were my creations, but they've proven almost useless in comparison." He added. "She has a gift for this sort of thing that can't be easily replicated."

"You sound fond of her." Curran noted, raising a brow. The asura's cheeks colored and he seemed to sputter before recovering enough to answer. "N-nonsense!" He said lowly. " I merely admire her intelligence and bravery. Few continue to do their research here once they see the horrors. I'm her bodyguard and that's all!" Curran stole a glance with Kairith, who was doing his best not to laugh. Iedreth and Hiami giggled and skipped over to talk with Lorentha, leaving all the men together.

"I heard you're quite the researcher here." Hiami said to the reading Sylvari, making her jump slightly. She smiled sheepishly, closing her book.

"I apologize for my rudeness. Yes, this is the labor of my research. Years worth, really." She expanded her eyes across it lovingly. "My name is Lorentha. Who might you and your friends be?"

"I'm Hiami. This is Iedreth. Our friends over there are Curran and Kairith." Lorentha looked over to see Pixtor being mildly harassed by the two sylvari, his face darkening in color by the minute. She chuckled at him, turning her face away, a slight luminescence brightening her own visage. Iedreth knew that look well, and she stole a glance at the harried looking asura.

"He seems to care about you a great deal." Iedreth said casually, touching one of the bulbous pods gently. "He speaks highly of you."

"Pixtor?" She said, her voice colored with genuine surprise. "You must be mistaken. He and I are merely... professional partners." She seemed slightly crestfallen at the admittion, and she seemingly involuntarily turned to look at him. She sighed. "He's brilliant himself of course. I'm not sure why he's stuck about so long. But he truly does grow on you, if you let him." Hiami and Iedreth exchanged a glance. They both knew that tone of voice. The longing was subtle, but it was there. They both wondered if the two knew how they truly felt.

"We should start clearing out what we can." Hiami told the sylvari, winking at Iedreth. "Can we get a few of your magical pods? Perhaps we can assist you indirectly as well."

"But of course!" Lorentha said scrambling to her feet and scooping up a few pods, handing them to the two explorers. "You'll find the richest soil to the south. But be wary. That's also where the undead tend to come through."

"We'll be careful Lorentha." Iedreth promised, hugging the seeds to her chest. The two hurried over to Curran and Kairith, grabbing them by the arms and saving Pixtor from his interrogation.

"We weren't harrassing him _that_ much." Kairith insisted. "We were just trying to get him to realize he's actually smitten with Lorentha."

"Hard to do if you try to force it on him." Hiami pointed out. "Asura don't like to be presented a fact they believe to be inconclusive without overwhelming evidence to the contrary."

"I smell a plan unfolding..." Curran teased, touching her ear lightly. Hiami grinned, her sharp teeth gleaming in the light.

"Just leave the first part to me. I have a plan. A few years together and they haven't realized it yet? This is just the perfect social experiment for my research!" Hiami nearly jumped up and down her excitement was so fresh. Curran laughed and Iedreth smiled, taking a quick look at Kairith, who wore a large smirk.

"Let's help them clear out the area a bit more first, then we'll work out the rest." Iedreth suggested, adjusting the seeds in her arms. "It will be easier once we know we won't have any unwelcome visitors."

...

Aisling took a sip from the small wooden cup she'd carved. The water was cool and slightly tangy on her tongue, but it was much needed, and she relished the taste as much as she could before it was time to get moving again. Count Meinhard was ever impatient, and his bad mood continued to increase the longer they went without any leads to Iedreth's whereabouts. She was learning quickly that the man did not have a lot of patience to begin with, and as his bad mood grew, so did the casualties they passed along the way. She was glad, since leaving Bloodtide Coast, that they'd come across nothing living besides the occasional bird or small rodent. Nothing with a concience that he could destroy.

Not that she didn't respect his work. Turning a sylvari to nightmare... no... not turning, showing them the _truth_. That was respectable. Killing other races, Norn, Humans, Asura, Charr, Largos, whatever he came across in his rage, there was no purpose behind it. He was merely shoving his displeasure onto others in the form of carnage. That, she didn't respect.

Still, she needed him. She was still learning how to fight, to take control of a situation or a person and overpower them, show them the truth of how life was meant to be lived. Until that day she could do things herself, she needed his guiding hand, his anger. His power. She couldn't do it without him. Not yet. And since their goals were similar, she'd use his services as long as she could without him getting suspicious. He just assumed she wanted to pay back Kairith for what he did to the Knight of Malice. Secretly, she could care less about the grey thief.

Her only thoughts were of Iedreth.

...

"Hyyya!" Hiami cried out, slashing her Claymore around her like a ring, the undead human crumbling into the dirt, it's decayed skeleton cracked and crazed by the elements. Judging by the worn threads it wore, it had come a very long way, possibly even Orr itself. It's mindless shambling was a sad reminder of the broken city's plight. Iedreth used her staff to channel magic at two smaller asuran undead, pulverizing them with a zap as her magic undid the small amount that reanimated them to begin with. It was quiet again in their corner of the forest.

"We should plant one of her seeds here then." Iedreth stated, pulling one of the swollen bulbs from her pouch. "Since there were three here, chances are more will pass through this way."

"Agreed." Hiami replied, wiping her sword on the grass before resheathing it. "It would be ignorant to assume that those were the last of the undead through this area."

Iedreth nodded her assent and squatted down, pulling apart the earth with her hands gently, and cradling the seed inside, covering it and willing some of her magic inside to encourage growth. In mere moments, the seed germinated and sprouted above the ground, a natural and organic turret, a homing device to slay undead.

"That's the last of the seeds." Iedreth said, turning the pouch upside down and watching a few small pieces of debris slowly fall to the ground. "We should regroup with the others and remeet with Pixtor and Lorentha." Hiami was quiet for a moment, a strange look on her face.

"I keep rounding in circles with questions about those two." She said suddenly. "It's strange, because, in a way, it reminds me of..." She trailed off, looking thoroughly abashed. "Well at any rate, My theory just became a little more interesting. My hypothesis nonwithstanding, at the very least it will make a good social experiment." Iedreth raised a brow at Hiami, but chose not to comment. She had already seen the signs of a budding romance in Hiami and Curran, but, she decided that, in the interest of allowing things to culminate naturally, that she would say nothing to either of them. They had to discover it on their own. There wasn't going to be anything that got in the way of the natural chemistry they seemed to have. And she saw the way Curran looked at her. There was no way that would go unnoticed forever.

Then again...

She thought about Lorentha and Pixtor. How after nearly four years together, working in close proximity to one another, against great odds and against the most horrendous of creatures, and yet, they were still blinded by the obvious. Iedreth thought it strange that the smartest of creatures could be the most oblivious. She chuckled under her breath as she realized this applied to her small companion as well.

"What's so funny?" Hiami asked curiously. Iedreth shook her head and smiled, pointing towards Curran and Kairith, who were speaking to one another about something they could not hear.

"Let's go get them before they start plotting." She said.

"Not without me they don't." Hiami said, running quickly to intercept the two Sylvari. She ran up, quickly scaling Curran's back, perching on his shoulder like a sly cat.

"You two weren't copulating strategy without me were you?" She asked suspiciously, leaning in to playfully glare at Kairith, who, looking appropriately abashed, turned to Iedreth.

"I would never." He replied, sending a wink her way.

"I saw that." Hiami said, pointing a finger in his direction. Curran laughed and swiped her off of his shoulder and into his arms tweaking a stray dreadlock back into place.

"We were merely observing that Creator Pixtor seems unneccessarily defensive about his position concerning Lorentha." Kairith cut in, grabbing Iedreth around the waist and pulling her to his side. "And by observing... noting some changes that could be made to erm... improve their situation."

"Improve their situation?" Hiami asked, quirking a brow. The men smiled sheepishly.

"Improve, instigate, something like that." Kairith said, a laugh in his voice. Iedreth placed a kiss on his cheek and his luminescence brightened considerable.

"Well then, let us not waste any more brain power thinking about it." Hiami announced, practically bouncing out of Curran's arms. "Let's get to work!"

The four made their way back to the camp, trying to look as innocent as possible. Creator Pixtor looked considerably suspicious, and with due cause, while Lorentha looked away obliviously, writing something in her small leatherbound book.

"We're back!" Hiami announced, jumping down from Curran's arms and landing squarely on her feet. "The plant-based weaponry have been placed and the reanimated corpses terminated."

"Very good!" Lorentha replied, beaming. She set her book down and stood, clasping her hands together happily. Pixtor was looking very delibrately away, though his body language indicated that he would rather be facing her as she reached the peak of excitement for the day.

"That is wonderful news! I'm so glad to see that they are still working as intended! I've been documenting their composition for years, and I think I've gotten them just right. Pretty soon well... there won't really be a reason for us to remain here. The turrets will be able to do the job for us." When she said this, her tone became smaller until it was nearly a whisper. The group exchanged glances and noted that she glanced at Pixtor using her peripherals, trying, yet failing, to be discreet. Pixtor, for his efforts, focused his gaze grumpily away, crossing his arms and grumbling under his breath.

"What will you do when your job here is done?" Iedreth asked softly. Lorentha looked a little odd when she considered the question, but she sighed.

"I'm not sure." She admitted, looking to Pixtor again. "All my life, ever since I was born in the dream, I've known that this is what I was meant to do. Once it's done..."

"She'll continue to be brilliant somewhere else, of course." Pixtor cut in, still looking decidedly grumpy. "Just because her work here is complete, doesn't mean that her talents can't be of use somewhere else."

"Pixtor..." Lorentha said, her eyes wide in awe at the compliment.

"Well, I mean, it would be a waste, all that intelligence, to be used to such an end here, only to be squandered into the wind if you were to return to the civilian lifestyle."

"I would likely just return to the Priory base." She admitted, looking at the group. "There are still so many things I can learn, and more things I can document. Write a book. Anything. I just... I'm not sure I'm ready to leave, just yet."

"Even with all the undead around?" Kairith asked.

"Even with them." She replied. "I still feel like something here is... unfinished. I'm not sure what. My research has culminated to an end. But now what?" She suddenly looked frustrated. "I don't know why, but I feel like there's still one more thing that I have to do here before I can leave. Before my business is complete."

"Something from your dream?" Curran asked curiously.

"No, not my dream, per-se." She replied. "My dream mostly revolved around this area. Little deviated from that." Another glance at Pixtor. "But still... I cannot leave. Not yet."

"Have you ever thought of travelling around? Seeing new places?" Hiami asked.

"Yes, though I think my work is best suited against the Dragons. That being said..." Her look became dark suddenly. "I assume you too have been hearing the whispers?" Creator Pixtor looked troubled at her subject change, but all three Sylvari nodded their head, and Hiami merely picked at her nails, already having been filled in on the latest Dragon seduction from Curran.

"They're becoming more frequent, and stronger." Kairith said. "Even so far south from Maguuma. It will be time to go to the Silverwastes to join the Pact, soon."

"Yes, I suppose that is where many people will go." Lorentha replied. "I could make my way that way as well... But coaxing the seeds to germinate and grow into pods take some time. Having a ready and available batch for Maguuma would take nearly a week. Even then, I'm not sure how effective they would be. Not if this dragon speaks to us so...intimately." She cringed at the word.

"That's one way to look at it." Kairith agreed, looking as troubled as Pixtor.

"It was always thought that the dragons could hold no sway on creatures of your genetic structure." Pixtor said, referenceing Lorentha. "Especially during the time Zhaitan was most active. It's imprint on the sylvari community was merely made by death and nothing more. No risen soldiers could be made from the clorophyllic cells."

"We thought this to be the reason, the true reason, we were called into being." Lorentha added. "But the jungle dragon is like a siren. It's whispers are... very compelling."

"But we dare not risk moving further north towards Maguuma when this area still has the potential for undead meanderings." Pixtor finished off. "Tackle one dragon spawn at a time, as it were."

"I take it you've heard about the uprising of the Sylvari then?" Curran asked. Lorentha and Pixtor nodded.

"Hard not to, even all the way out here." Pixtor grumbled. "Between the Order of Whsipers and the Durmand Priory, we've all but got the bases covered. Information for both sides is at a constant influx."

"We've received warnings to be cautious and look out for signs of strange activity from the nearby settlements. Especially soundless and Nightmare Courtiers. Though it doesn't seem that there's any discrimination despite beliefs of the Sylvari." Lorentha added. "So far, there hasn't been much to report back, but having an ear out even this far is beneficial for both our orders."

Iedreth exchanged a quick look with Kairith before turning her attention back to the green sylvari, who was looking to Pixtor admirably.

"Pixtor wouldn't allow me to deviate from the mission." She said softly. "Becoming a slave to the jungle dragon would inhibit whatever progress we had made out here."

"Mmm." Hiami hummed, smiling deviously at Pixtor. He looked back at her warily, suspiciously, though all they could see was his eyes.

"You are all welcome to rest here the night." Lorentha offered. "It's not much, but I'm sure you're all tired from your travels and could use some shelter for the night. The undead rarely if ever make it this far from the edges of the forrest. You'd be safe here."

"Thank you, we accept." Kairith said, his ice blue eyes scanning the edge of the forrest warily. "We will be back on our way tomorrow morning. We plan to do some training and reconnaisance in Orr before heading back to Caledon on our way to the Silverwastes."

"Orr has changed much in just a year." Lorentha said, shifting her remaining pods over to make room for their company. "Pixtor and I went there a few weeks ago, just to see... Though there are still many undead, at least the land is beginning to heal. Marshall Trahearne has truly suceeded in his wyld hunt."

"Trahearne..." Iedreth said, scrunching up her face for a moment. She could pull his face to mind, though only barely. Lorentha seemed to see her expression.

"You don't know of the firstborn? Are you a newborn?" She asked, sounding surprised.

"She's only a few months old." Kairith said, seeming proud, practically beaming at her.

"You don't _seem_ a few months old." Pixtor said, scrutinizing her carefully. "Then again, none of the Sylvari do. You're born full grown. Imparted with past wisdom and the knowledge of your brethren." He scrunched his eyes a bit, the now obviously intentional glance at Lorentha appearing once more. "Then again, some of your kind are more intelligent than that. Have an affinity for scientific quantifications."

"I'll say." Hiami mumbled, looking through Lorentha's little leather bound book curiously. "How many of these formula's have you tested?"

"Most all of them." Lorentha said with humility. "Most without success. The pods you and Iedreth carried and planted are this formula-" She pointed to one of the middle pages. "Here. But they took a long time to germinate. I've been perfecting the ratio of magic to plant matter to stimulate growth without losing the quality of the projectiles that stem from the bulb. It's been difficult to say the least."

"Astonishing." Hiami said, scanning the pages with wide eyes. "Not in insult to you. Many of these formula's are advanced. The priory must treasure your knowledge."

"Like a dwarven tome, or so I'm told." She said laughing. "They trust me enough to give me my own assignments, without worrying about defection at the least."

Pixtor leaned his head back and closed his eyes, shifting into a guarded sleeping stance, arms crossed but tense. Kairith sat down against the wall ledge, closing his eyes as well, using his bag as a pillow. Curran sat crosslegged on the ground and pulled Hiami into his lap, with the book still in her hand. Iedreth sat beside Lorentha, looking at her curiously.

"How did you and Pixtor meet?" She asked curiously, keeping her voice quiet. "I can tell you've both been together, here, for a long time."

"He was assigned to me, so it was quite abrupt." She said, keeping her voice just as low. "One day I was unpacking everything I had; books, seeds, pods, everything, and that same day, he was at the edge of the clearing, observing me work in silence." She said, a small smile lighting her face.

"He didn't talk much the first few weeks we were out here, mostly just asking me if I was done with my research, or observing my notes quietly while I worked around the pods. But slowly, he began to suggest some changes, or offer to take time to clear out the undead with his weapons so I could get more time to produce effective seeds. Anytime I ventured out to test them, he followed, and I learned things from observing _him_ as he had me."

"I can tell." Iedreth said knowingly, looking at Lorentha carefully. "You seem more than just companionable."

"I assure you, we are merely professional colleagues." Lorentha replied, a touch of sadness in her tone. "And when my time has elapsed here, we will cease to be in each others presence, as it was before we'd met."

"How old are you, Lorentha?" Iedreth asked curiously. I can tell you're not a firstborn, and not a newborn. So when..."

"I am nearly nine human years of age now." She admitted softly. "I was travelling the world when The Commander of the Pact was born. I participated in some of the early battles against the Dragon before finding my truth and ideals with the Durmand Priory. They have been good to me, too kind, truly. I owed it to them to complete my work here." Iedreth looked at Kairith, who was fast asleep, and then to Hiami, who was excitedly explaining the patterns on the paper in the notebook to Curran, and she turned back, smiling, to Lorentha.

"You've done well, more than you needed to, sister." She said, placing a hand on her shoulder. "But trust me when I say, what you and Pixtor have, is not purely professional. Or at least... it wouldn't be, if you would both take the time to try it."

...

Well the original direction I was going with this is lost. Oh well, at least I know I can pick it back up and continue with this. Sorry for the slow going all, I've had some pretty gnarly writers block as of late, and it's been difficult to write the story, all though I am trying to make up for the lack of chapters due to being out to sea. I hope you forgive me, and enjoy the chapters as they come!


	27. Convergences

Purpose: Chapter 27: Convergence.

...

I apologize in advance for the strange amount of timeline swaps this story has had so far. I've been time skipping about a lot in order to quickly get to the next section of the story, wherein our storylines finally begin to converge. ;) I do apologize in advance, I won't be covering Lorentha and Pixtor's story in this chapter. You'll have to imagine what happens to bring them together ;P Or perhaps I'll write a drabble about it someday. If there's enough interest in it.

...

The strange croaking and whistling throats of the undead muck that surrounded them put Iedreth on edge. Ever since they'd stepped foot into Orr, she felt as though her skin was crawling. Kairith told her that Orr looked better now than it had before Zhaitan had been slain, but it didn't ease her nerves any. The area was still crawling with undead, and though without the voice of Zhaitan to guide them, old habits died hard, or not at all, really, and the beings remained hostile despite the freedom from their metaphorical shackles.

Hiami seemed indifferent to it all, jotting things in her notebook here or there, but mostly she just remained perched upon Curran's shoulder, looking thoroughly bored as they trudged throught the mixture of grime and struggling new foliage. Curran himself looked almost emotional, peering around. She vaguely thought that he might have been here before, perhaps before even the commander had been here. Though she couldn't be sure, and she wasn't really trying to ask. Kairith led them around, where they culled what areas seemed to be overridden by undead, and helping small pockets of Pact soldiers who stayed behind to help the land complete its healing.

"We're almost to Fort Trinity." Kairith said, breaking the slightly strained silence. "Once we pass the fort, the undead that traverse the landscape will become increasingly dangerous, and way more disfigured. Their strength should not be undermined. This will be the true test to know whether or not you are ready to travel to the silverwastes." He said, holding Iedreth's gaze.

"I feel ready." She said, steadying her voice as much as she could. "But it's better to be safe in this case. The Jungle dragon will not make our traversing easy."

"No, it won't." Curran said. "It will be even harder to ignore once we enter the gates to Maguuma as well. Near impossible."

"Ignoring is one thing. Succumbing is another." Hiami added, looking to Iedreth meaningfully. "Strength of the body isn't the only thing you're training on here. You have to focus your mind as well."

"Easier said then done." Iedreth muttered darkly. The whispers from Mordremoth had not waned, even so far south as Orr. They weren't as penetrating, but they still were there, aching and picking at the back of her mind. She knew she was strong enough to resist. She _had_ to resist. She didn't want to be a pawn of the dragon. But the dragon was strong, and from such a distance to be calling to her...

"We will keep track of one another, keep ourselves on track." Kairith stated curtly. "We can't afford to lose any of us. Not out here, not in Maguuma. Let's keep moving."

Fort Trinity was large and imposing from the outside, a miracle of metal and architecture she recognized from Lion's Arch. It's walls were scratched and torn at astoundingly high altitudes, which Iedreth was certain no humanoid creature, nor even a Norn, could have done. The gouges in the structure were deep, as if the undead had dug at the metal with their bare hands, working at the structure to find a way through. The gates were open, but an electrical barrier was erected instead. The fort wasn't heavily populated, most of the Pact or order soldiers having made their way to the Silverwastes, but there were a few people patrolling, organizing weaponry, or just overall keeping up appearances in the fort.

As they approached the electrical barrier dissapated, and Hiami jumped down from Curran's shoulder to examine the structures.

"Thaumatized generator couplings." She stated in approval. "They scan the life forms for vitality statistics, and then decrease their capacitance to disintigrate so that one can enter. Ingenious! Cleary asuran ingenuity!"

"I don't doubt it." Kairith added mildly. "More than enough Asura were out here at one time, making all sorts of improvements to the waypoint system and the security measures. It was one less thing to worry about." They stepped through and immediately the charge began again. "You should see what happens when an undead creature marches through one of these. Quite a sight to see."

"I believe it." Hiami stated, looking excited. "The properties of the energy are more than capable of disseminating the molecular structure of the undead, who are already so far broken down with decay that their bodies literally disjoint-"

"I think we understand the logistics." Iedreth cut in, her lips pressed tightly together. Hiami looked up at her in confusion, but shrugged nevertheless and turned to Curran.

"I think we should resupply here and move on to the crux of Orr." Hiami said, pulling out a well drawn map. "Once we get here, we can move North and take the waypoint here- back to Caledon to head towards the Silverwastes."

"How long will we be looking to train here?" Iedreth asked Kairith, looking over Hiami's shoulder at the map.

"Not more than 48 hours." He said, slinging his bag down and rummaging through it. "We help the remaining pact soldiers clear out this area, and then we need to go to the Silverwastes. Dry top is nearby, and apparently there have been some big problems with mordrem in the area." He pulled out a scroll with the seal from the Durmond Priory.

"The Priory sent me this a few days ago." He said, handing it to Iedreth. She opened it slowly and smoothed it out, reading through it quickly. "Mordremoth's forces forced the Pact to leave the silverwastes early. Marshall Trahearne and most of the fleet already left for Maguuma. We have to get there as soon as possible if we want a chance to get there via ship. We don't want to take that journey on foot if we can help it."

"I agree." Curran said, reading over Hiami's map. "Maguuma is mostly unexplored, but there are areas that have been documented. Out of them, most are inaccessible by normal means, or are infested with poisonous creatures. Our best, maybe _only_ chance is to go by airship."

"Which means we'll need to caddy in with the Pact." Hiami added. "Which will be hard to do if they took all of their fleet."

"I doubt they'd take every vessel at once." Kairith said thoughtfully. "It wouldn't have been efficient. They had to have left at least a ship or two behind for contingency, or to take the remainder of the fleet after the initial scouting occured."

"So that gives us a time limit." Curran said.

"A very strict one." Kairith said gravely. "We must be certain Iedreth is prepared to deal with what an elder dragon is capable of. This is the closest you'll get to practice."

"Mordremoth is an entirely different scenario." Hiami argued. "These minions no longer serve the dragon, only their fed impulses from the brainwashed synapses coursing through their neurons." She said. "The jungle dragon's minions will be different, but along the same lines power wise. It will be a good test of the skills you have been honing over the course of the last few months."

They all turned as a rather large and imposing Charr walked up to them, his armor indicitive of the Order of Whispers, his nose twitching and eyes narrowed cautiously as he approached.

"Hello Curran. This your new warband?" He asked, quirking up a brow at the burl colored sylvari. Curran smiled jovially and clasped an arm to meet the charr's.

"You could say that." He replied. He scooped up Hiami, who was scrutinizing the large Charr, and moved towards Iedreth and Kairith. "This is Hiami, Iedreth, and Kairith."

"Nice to meet you all." The Charr answered sincerely. "The name's Ryvel. Curran and I have worked together numerous times. You've got yourselves a good sylvari there." He turned his eyes back to Curran. "I take it this isn't purely a social call?"

"Afraid not." Curran answered. "We're here to finish our mesmer here's training. Then we will be headed to the Silverwastes."

"The Silverwastes, eh?" Ryvel said, scratching at his broken horn. "I heard a lot about that whole mess out there. Are you sure you're wanting to take all that on?"

"The Pact is out there fighting. So should we be." He said "Anyone that can help will be necessary to assist against the jungle dragon."

"Don't I know it." Ryvel answered. "We've fought many battles together my friend. But this one... I've heard there have been many casualties."

"We have heard as well." Iedreth said lowly. "Which is why we must go."

"Hrrmph. Well, best of luck to you. I assume you need some supplies?" He asked, looking at their sparce bags.

"That would be greatly appreciated." Hiami piped up, smiling with her sharp teeth. Ryvel chuckled, gesturing for them to follow him as he brought them to the bulk of the supply stands. He grabbed a few things from each of the stands and popped them to the group, then led them to a small quiet area. He pawed through a stack of well wrapped loaves of bread, a jar of what looked like honey, and a small medic kit. He handed them to Curran, who popped them into his bag and nodded to his friend gratefully.

"Thank you, friend." He said, bowing his head slightly. "You're assistance has been greatly appreciated."

"Don't mention it." He said gruffly. "Its rough out there. If you're planning on getting to the Silverwastes, I suggest you make your tour through Orr short. Not as much action as their was back in the day, but still a fair amount if you head to the south-west section of Orr."

"We'll keep that in mind." Kairith answered. "We can't thank you enough for your help."

"Take out some of the big ones for me!" The charr called out as they walked towards the exit of Fort Trinity.

...

Eileria felt her patience waning quickly as she waited on the engineers to repair the vessel. Not that she couldn't wait, but her worry for the Pact was taking over, and she was starting to become more anxious than she was accustomed. When were they going to finish this? It seemed to be taking forever, and she was antsy now. She had yet to receive any word on the whereabouts of the fleet, and it was becoming evident that after months of preperation, they still struggled with the Elder Dragon's awakening; Mordremoth had proven more cunnning then should be allowed for such a creature.

"Commander, an update, as you requested!" A small but older looking Asura said, wiping a stray bit of oil from his cheek. "The deck-mounted equipment has been salvaged, and most of the systems are online and functional- to a degree."

"Excellent. How long until we can get it in the air?" She asked, trying hard to keep the impatience out of her voice. The asuran engineer saw right through her however.

"It will be another day before you'll be able to fly it to Maguuma, Commander." He said, scrutinizing her carefully. "But rest assured, no more than that. We will have you on your way in as short a period a time as we are able."

"Very well." She said, shoving her disappointment to the side to deal with later.

"Also, if I may, Commander." He said slowly. "The capacity of the ship is twenty-two bodies, but it can be piloted and maintained with eight. Your party is only five, so it would behoove you to locate a few other Pact members to accompany you on your journey." Eileria studied him for only a moment, before nodding her head curtly.

"Alright. I'll see what I can manage to find on this deserted rock."

...

"Is it much further?" Iedreth asked, clutching her staff closely to her chest. She was feeling very on edge. Worse even then when they were in Orr. The dragon's voice was loud here. But still ignorable. She feared for the moment he opened up his mind to do more than just swhisper sweet nothings into her ear.

"We should be reaching the Silverwastes within the hour." Curran said. "Look there, you can see the plateaus of Dry Top. We're close." Iedreth, Kairith and Hiami peered out in the distance, sure enough, seeing the looming mountainous caverns that made up Dry Top, in the distance past a wide expanse of dense buildings and large hangar-like structures that could only be the Pact base.

"It's massive." Iedreth said in awe, staring at the structures. "They keep the airships in there?"

"It's the only reason they exist to begin with." Kairith replied, nodding his head softly. "Though I'm sure they maintain them for other usage. Bunkers. Shelter. Storage. They can have many uses."

"Well let's not tarry then." Hiami piped up, her pink eyes wide as she stared at them. "We shouldn't waste time. If we miss the next airship, we will have to walk. And through Dry Top... we'll be asking for Mordrem attacks."

"Agreed, we're nearly there. Let's keep moving."

The group descended the hill, moving cautiously, keeping an eye out on all sides for any unusual activities. They encountered next to nothing as they approached the gate, where two large Charr stood at the gates, their weapons crossed and stances steady. The two eyed the strange group, before snarling and jumping forward, their weapons at an attack revel.

"Make no further advances strangers!" The Charr on the left growled out, his yellow eyes narrowed into near slits. "What business do you have here? Stay back, and draw not your weapons!" The sylvari all exchanged looks nervously, but Hiami hopped down from Curran's shoulders and sauntered over to the two Charr, crossing her arms and tapping her foot.

"Their not mordrem you tactless imbeciles." She said, grunting unhappily. "We're here to assist the Pact. It's in your best interest to move out of the way and allow us to pass."

"We can't do that." The other Charr, less abrasive but still firm, remarked. "The risk is too great. You'll need to pass a test from one of our scholars in order to pass through to the main bridge." The Charr whistled towards the compound, and a small human flitted to the front, looking nervous as she pushed the glasses to the bridge of her nose.

"Another set of them?" She asked, her voice calm and clear despite her demeanor.

"Yes ma'am, just came through a few moments ago. Asking for clearance to the base."

"Hmm..." The human girl hummed, eyeing them curiously. "They don't appear to be hostile. What are your names?"

"Curran."

"Iedreth."

"Kairith."

"Hiami, alumni of the college of synergetics. And also impatient. Can we get on with this? We have an airship to catch."

"An airship?" The woman asked, her tone surprised. "Did the commander send for you? Are you here to man the rest of the crew?"

The group turned to each other in puzzlement, all but Iedreth, who froze in awe. The _Commander_ was _here?_

"Rest of the crew for what?" Curran asked curiously, shifting the large hammer on his back. "Is there an envoy being sent to Maguuma?"

"Most of the fleet has already deployed to Maguuma." The woman replied, her brown eyes staring at them curiously. "But the Commander arrived here about a week ago, demanding a ship be readied for another voyage into Maguuma. But last I heard, there weren't enough volunteers to get the ship off the ground. Hence why I thought, well..." She gestured to them instead of completing her sentence.

"We didn't receive an express invitation if that's what your assuming." Kairith replied, digging through his bag, causing the guards to raise their weapons nervously. He pulled out his correspondance scroll, tossing it to her and waiting. The girl pushed up her glasses and read the scroll quickly, but furtively. Satisfied, she turned it back to Kairith's possession and looked at the two Charr.

"Marik, Lutz. They're good. let them through. The commander will be pleased to have new recruits whilst travelling through Maguuma." She turned her attention to the strange medley group.

"Please, let me show you the way. I'm Katarina, by the way." She shuffled forward quickly, briskly, and the four shrugged, following her cautiously.

Iedreth stared in complete awe as she looked at all the structures, took in the creations that the Pact had erected in order to convene so close to Maguuma. Though tall and sturdy, she could see where something had attacked, or where the structures had been worn with the weather, but still stood firm. A testimony to the Pact's resistance, and Tyria's fight against the elder dragons. She was bewildered by the strange contraptions on some of the abandoned tables, instruments with which she was unfamiliar, and paperwork smattered with black charcoal markings in random lines and circles. She stopped by the table of one in particular, a hastily drawn up map of Maguuma, when she heard a clear, strong voice, and snapped to attention, her eyes magnetized to the speaker.

"Welcome to the Silverwastes." Eileria Cloud said, her eyes blindfolded and sharpened swords at her sides. "I take it you all come prepared to fight..." She paused, taking a step forward, her mouth slightly ajar, no more sound coming from her. She raised a hand, and Iedreth mirrored her, as if she were looking into her own reflection, like a ghost that she barely recognized. She and the Commander walked slowly, delibrately towards one another, until their fingers touched. No one spoke. Hardley anyone even breathed.

"Iedreth?" Eileria whispered. "You... you're here. It's really you?"

...

Well that's all I got for this chapter! I will continue working on chapters as I go! I hope you enjoyed!


	28. Reunion In Dreams

Purpose: Chapter 28: Reunion in Dreams

...

Well these last few chapters have been extremely hard to write. I always get in these little funks where it's hard to write for a while, but I'm working hard to make sure I have plenty of chapters to submit the next time I hit port! (which is coincidentally when you'll read this, haha!) I hope you're enjoying it all so far, I'm going to be exploring some new content here and there. Enjoy!

...

The two mesmers stared at one another, fingertips touching, as if looking into a mirror that had been warped with time. Iedreth's face bore no marks of war, and her tendrils of hair were not as long, nor as twisting and beautiful as Eileria's braided wreath of flowers adorning her vines. Their colorings, though different, were both pale and vibrant. Eileria looked as though she could not believe her own eyes, even though they were covered by a slip of cloth, meant to dull her senses from distraction. Iedreth was so tense, anxious, but excited, too, to finally _see_ in person, the mesmer from her dream. _The_ Commander.

"Boss?" The Charr hunter asked nervously, eyes flitting between the strange group and the pale white sylvari that was in contact with the Commander.

"It's alright, Rox. They are allies. Friends. And such timing..." She said, lowering her hand and straightening herself out to full height. Iedreth gasped slightly, realizing Eileria had had to bend down to be eye level with the younger sylvari. She had to the size of a Norn, much taller than any other Sylvari she'd ever met. Her presence was emphasized by her height, though her demeanor said it all.

"How tall are you?" Iedreth blurted out in shock, blinking up at the tall mesmer. Eileria chuckled, crossing her arms thoughtfully.

"I believe I was once measured to be around what human's measure as inches, seventy-five." She said. "I equate to the size of a shorter Norn. I am one of the taller of our kind. Most Sylvari remain small, lithe. Agile." She sighed slightly. Iedreth tilted her head.

"Are you alright?"

"I will be." Eileria replied softly, her face turning towards her group of adventurers. "We have enough to make the journey now. If the ship was ready..."

"So you are going to Maguuma." Hiami piped up, looking rather awed at the tall Sylvari. "What timing!"

"What timing indeed." Eileria agreed. "This couldn't have been better, truly-"

"Commander! A message has just arrived for you!" A very much out of breath human courier announced, holding out a beaten looking scroll with a leather string tying it together. Eileria briskly walked to the man, taking the scroll and pulling it open, shifting her blindfold up to reveal amethyst colored eyes with strikes of emerald, scanning across the page with a blinding quickness. She grimaced, lowering the page and her blindfold likewise.

"It's from Laranthir." She replied grimly. "The fleet has been destroyed."

...

Crickets and odd creatures croaked and shrieked into the darkness. The musky smell of earth and damp foliage, paired with sour smelling fungus and rain was what brought her into conciousness. What opened her eyes was the sudden springing pain from around her middle. She groaned, forcing herself to try to sit up, only to cry out as the pain increased exponentially, she shut her eyes, grimacing, and slowly reached a hand down to feel for the wound. Her hand traced a hard, sharp object, sticky with what she immediately knew was her own blood.

Trying not to panic, she slowly opened her eyes and waited for them to adjust to the abject darkness. She was laying amongst a good amount of debris, she couldn't see well, but it looked like there was another body a few feet from hers, though it didn't seem to stir. The debris that had impaled her wasn't too thick, and looked to have missed her vital organs, though she couldn't be one hundred percent sure. She wrapped both hands around the offending spike, and with as much strength as she could muster, snapped it as close to her armor as she could. She winched, tossing the piece away. The next part, she knew, would hurt worse, but she had to work quickly so she could heal herself, and she couldn't do that with the object still impaling her.

Slowly, with as little jolting as she could manage on the uneven ground, she forced her body to lift off of the spike. She bit her tongue, tasting blood, until finally she felt the gaping hole and fresh blood pouring from the wound. She panted, groaning under her breath, seeing stars. She patted around for her mace, which mercifully, was close by. Channeling what little healing power she could muster, she forced the energy from her mace to the wound, allowing the flesh to render itself anew, the muscle to reconnect. The blood to stow away, before darkness claimed her again.

When she next awoke, Bryna realized she felt better, though not one hundred percent back to normal. She also realized she was moving. And she was in a cage.

She scrambled to her knees, cursing out loud when the pain ricketed through her abdomen, and clasped her hands around the crude wooden bars, peering into the twilight for some sign of anything, or anyone, she recognized. She noted she was not the only caged being. Beside her to her left there were three cages, and to her right one. The creatures carrying them, or rather, dragging them, were unlike anything she could compare. True tree creatures, not at all like sylvari, whose sweet limbs and colors beset a human with extra pigmentation. These were angular and sharp, like twisted tree sprites, large horns made of twisting vines and viciously angry looking. These could only be mordrem, but they were unlike the husks she'd faced before. Her eyes widened with horror when she realized these could be the runaway Sylvari that had answered to Mordremoth's call. What had he _done_ to them?

"Hello?" She croaked out, her voice hoarse and dry. She reached out of her cage for the nearest one her, but her arm did not reach. "Is anyone alive in there?"

"Bryna?" She heard a voice call out. She whipped her head to her right and saw a tall figure moving inside the cage beside her. A face pressed against the bars, beaten and bruised, but she would know those facial tattoos anywhere.

"Eir!" Bryna whispered, reaching a hand out and touching fingertips with the ranger. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine." Eir replied softly, a quick glance at their captors. "I don't know where they're taking us."

"Where's Trahearne?" She asked, peering at the other cages. Eir grimaced unhappily.

"They overtook our part of the ship just after it crashed." She recounted. "We fought, but Trahearne, two other sylvari and Zojja were captured and taken away. We tried to follow but..." She trailed off, wincing at the memory. "Logan tried to catch up to them. They set up an ambush and were waiting for us. When we came to rescue our comrades, they captured us too." She sneered at one of the other cages, where Bryna, eyes now adjusted, could see a birch colored sylvari asleep, or at least pretending to be, in the cage directly next to her.

"That one was already caged up when we were caught." Eir explained. "I'm sure you're familiar with Grand Duchess Faolain?" Bryna's eyes snapped back and a growl erupted from her throat. A Nightmare Courtier! The leader at that.

"The rest of the crew?" Bryna asked lowly, her eyes still on Faolain's still body.

"Those that were injured were either left to die or killed on the spot." Eir said sadly. "They only tried to capture those who wanted to fight. That or... they knew who we were. I'd like to hope it wasn't the second option."

"Raven knows." Bryna replied. "I wonder why they bothered with me. I was pretty badly injured."

"I didn't see them get you, I just saw them add another cage to the caravan." Eir sneered angrily. "And here I thought we might have a way to get a message out... I haven't heard from Laranthir's group though. Or the Pale Reavers." Bryna nodded, memories of their entrance into Maguuma flashing through their minds.

"Let's hope they didn't fall to Mordremoth." She whispered.

...

"How much longer are the repairs going to take?"

"I'm sorry Commander, we're moving as fast as we can."

Eileria signed, rubbing her forhead anxiously.

"I know you are, I don't mean to be cross with you." She said aloud, turning away. "Just please... continue working in due diligence. We must get to Maguuma as soon as possible. There isn't a moment to waste."

"Of course commander, we'll notify you as soon as it's ready." The asura stammered, pushing his googles up on his nose.

"See that you do." Eileria stated, walking off briskly. She wasn't sure what else to do. She felt in her heart that something was very wrong. She felt helpless, and it wasn't a feeling she had often. But short of stomping into Maguuma past Dry Top, without an Airship or cover, there was nothing more that she could do. That realization put a lump in her throat. She hadn't heard word of Bryna. Of Eir, Logan or Zojja. Laranthir's letter had been sparce, but also urgent in its cadence. She paced, her feet making sweeping strides across the ground as she chewed over what she did know.

The fleet had been destroyed.

Laranthir and the Pale Reavers were alive in the middle of uncharted territory.

Mordremoth's voice was exultant at _something_.

No letters for help from her wife or her friends.

She clenched her fists.

"You're worried about someone there, aren't you?" Eileria turned slowly to see Iedreth, her wide pink eyes observing Eileria's restless pacing. Eileria nodded, but offered nothing more. It was difficult enough to keep her emotions in check when in the face of an adversary she didn't know how to fight. Iedreth placed a small, gentle hand on the mesmer's shoulder.

"All we can do is give it time, Commander." Iedreth told her ruefully. "They will be alright. You must have faith."

"Ah little one." Eileria breathed. "Faith is the only thing I have left."

...

Curran sat at one of the navigation tables, his eyes sweeping across the charts again, and again. Memorizing each curve, each line. Every stopping point. Every piece of information his brain could contain, he contained it. He heard her, before she popped up beside him, her heavy plate clinking as she walked up.

"Have them memorized?" Hiami asked casually. Curran nodded and slid them to the pink haired asura.

"They're not difficult to read. But they're incomplete."

"Incomplete?" Hiami asked, quickly scanning over them. "This map encompasses miles of terrain. How can they be incomplete?" Curran leaned over and pointed to a section of the map.

"Here." He said, pointing to a section that was sketchy, but drawn out nevertheless. "This map was drawn as if looking down upon Maguuma. But the jungle is three dimensional. The canopy layer, which is the only layer you can see from the air, only represents a small percentage of the jungle." He made a wide, sweeping motion over and across the map.

"The whole jungle has many levels. Wherever the ships crashed, they could be on a platform, on the bottom, or in the depths beneath the trenches of Maguuma."

"How do you know this?" Hiami asked, curious and suspicious. "I thought you said you'd never been to Maguuma."

"I haven't... on this plane of existance." He admitted. "I've only seen it from the mists." Hiami blinked, fascinated.

"It is much different from the real thing?" She asked.

"Generally the landscapes don't change much." He told her, his fingers touching the map delicately. "Differences lie in placement and people. You cannot always touch land that you may have seen or touched before. The living can easily be lost in the world of the mists for that reason." Hiami nodded.

"How many layers did you see?" She pressed, wanting more knowledge. Curran shrugged, thinking back.

"I remember counting four, not to include the black trench below." He said. "But the images were warped. Leyline energy had been pulsing through even then. The mists cannot lie about the landscape, but leyline energy disrupts the normal flow. It's why the spirits have been so angry."

"We'll need all the help you can give us to construct a route." Hiami said, pulling some parchment from her bag. "We shouldn't go into this with any more of a handicap than we already have."

"I agree." He said smiling. He shifted the maps to show the hastily sketched ones he'd worked on before. Hiami smiled, punching his arm lightly.

"One step ahead, I like it!" She proclaimed. Curran smiled, his luminescence brightening a bit in his face. Kairth walked up, his face seeming distracted.

"What's wrong?" Curran asked as he came to a stop before them. Kairith shook his head.

"I just feel like somethings off." He admitted. "Call it paranoia, if you will, but something isn't right. It feels like a well laid trap, waiting for us to take the bait."

"You think the Commander..." Kairith shook his head.

"No, she seems preoccupied, but not in a way that makes me suspect her." He replied. "Moreso... I think someone she truly cared about was on the fleet run. She seems eager to get this ship into the air."

"I should think so." A new voice cut in. "The Commander is well known for an impatience concerning the well-being of her people." The three turned to see an unfamiliar sylvari, his armor like metallic bark wrapped around his limbs, standing there eyeing them speculatively.

"And you are...?" Hiami asked, crossing her arms and narrowing her eyes until they were nearly slits.

"Canach. I doubt you've heard of me."

"I wouldn't be so sure." Curran said, bristling slightly. "Your past is rather incriminating all by itself, wouldn't you say?" Canach turned to Curran and narrowed his eyes at the accusation.

"I'm not here to sabatoge our _fearless leader_." He emphasized, albeit grudgingly. "I'm here to settle my debts. Nothing more."

"Under the heel of the Countess, I presume." Curran continued. "But what is it you plan to do once free from her grasp, secondborn?" Kairith immediately snapped out of his reverie and took a better look at Canach. Hiami was looking between Curran and the secondborn curiously.

"Whatever I please, I suspect." He admitted with a sneer. "It would be a waste to continue as a civil servant at that point."

"Such a shame." Curran said, not quite able to disguise his disgust. "Perhaps once you _do_ make it free you'll choose to live a life more morally comprehensive." Canach stared at him for another moment, before a grim smile lit up his face.

"I know you seemed familiar." Canach said slowly. "You were a warden once."

"Once." Curran agreed. "But no longer."

"As is clear by your distance from the mother tree." Canach said dryly. "I wouldn't assume too much, little mist warrior. You might be surprised by how much can turn up that you weren't aware of." Canach tipped his head and turned heel, directing himself towards the Commander, who was still having an in depth conversation with Iedreth. Kairith looked worridly after her.

"She'll be alright, Kairith." Hiami stated, rolling her eyes slightly. "You worry too much. She's a strong mesmer. Master of the illusions!"

"I'm not worried about that per se..." He said, pulling his eyes away. "I'm worried about what she might see when we're in the jungle. She's still so young. Naive. Things are not always as they seem." He sighed. "If it were as simple as 'run in swords swinging' and this whole thing would be over, I could understand. But nothing about this is simple. I have this feeling we are highly underestimating what's going to happen there in Maguuma."

"Let's hope you're wrong." Curran said, clasping the sylvari thief on the shoulder. "Otherwise we could have much bigger things we will have to worry about."

"Like domestic disputes?" Hiami quipped, pointing at Canach. Curran grimaced and shrugged his shoulders.

"I wouldn't worry about him too much."

"More worried about you starting a fight." Hiami retorted. "What did he do to earn the animosity towards his person?"

"Let's just say his cowardice is well known amongst the Wardens." Curran replied dryly. "Don't worry. I won't fight with him. In either sense of the word." Hiami rolled her eyes.

"It's too early to know for sure how he will behave." She pointed out. "You should at the very least weigh the opaqueness of his current predicament and give him a chance to surprise us in a positive manner."

"I can't promise anything." Curran said. "But I'll do my best to be civil."

"Can't say I blame you for that." Kairith said. "Quite the prickly fellow, isn't he?"

...

And that's it for the most recent chapter! I'm working diligently to have at least three to update, but we will see how I fair! Thank you for all the reviews and the continued reads, I appreciate all the feedback and the love for the story and its characters! Thanks again! 3


	29. Downfall and Panic

Purpose: Chapter 29: Downfall and Panic

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Hello my fancy readers! I'm so sorry it's been quite some time since I've had an update, things have been hectic, and if you've been following me on tumblr, you probably already knew I lost both my Desktop and laptop hard drives to power surges, and with it all of my documents, pictures etc. So! I'm having to redo this chapter, which is a little bit of a bummer, because I had a really good part written up that I can no longer access. But alas! Without further ado, I will get on with the update!

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Bryna was jolted awake again, disturbed that she'd even drifted off to begin with. The cages jolted and buckled as the mordrem caravan shifted and suddenly came to a complete stop, causing some of the strange cages to lurch forward. She heard Eir groan and she slowly shifted onto her haunches, peering into the dim light in the general direction of her companion's voice.

"Why are we stopping?" She whispered at the ranger. Eir opened her mouth to reply when one of the Mordrem blocked her from Bryna's view, wrenching open her cage and grasping her firmly around the arm and jerking her from the cage. Bryna tumbled out with a cry of pain, her mid-section still tender from the hasty healing she'd given herself, and wheezed as the mordrem forced her onto her knees, its mouth making strange clicking noises not unlike that of a cricket. A few other mordrem circled her and for a brief moment, fear filled her chest and made it cold.

"Bryna!" Eir whispered in panic, her knuckles white as her hands clutched the bars of her cage. Bryna clenched her teeth, sucking in a deep breath to calm herself.

The mordrem that removed her from the cage reached down to grasp her arm again, but Bryna was ready this time. Using what little movement she could, she swiped out a leg to knock the mordrem's legs from beneath it. It stumbled, making frenzied clicking noises of anger, and the other mordrem began to close in on her, their posture hostile. Bryna knew she had only seconds, and sprinted, ignoring the rattling pain in her abdomen, for the caravan of strange vine-like raptor creatures. Her hands clasped around her mace and a sense of familiarity and power seemed to flow through her. She quickly swung the weapon around, making contact with the nearest mordrem's head and sending it flying backwards, its head nearly completely caved in. She sidestepped the next mordrem, putting her right next to Eir's cage. She raised the mace, and Eir moved back, allowing Bryna to smash the hinge holding the cage together.

The angry swarming noises of the mordrem refocused her, and she rolled to the ground to avoid the plant-sword that came crashing down exactly where she'd just been standing. Eir climbed out of her cage carefully, taking Bryna's flank, stanced defensively, though she held no weapons.

"You cannot escape the Jungle Dragon." One of the mordrem spoke to the two Norn, its voice harsh and grating, as if it pained the creature to speak in their tongue. "We all belong to it. It will have you, dead, or alive." Bryna spit on the ground, steeling herself and trying valiantly to ignore the now pulsating pain she was feeling. The edges of her vision were edging on black.

"I need a weapon." Eir cursed under her breath, her eyes moving stealthily to appraise the area. Her bow was nowhere to be seen. "Damn it all. I think they left my bow when they picked us up."

"That's not good." Bryna said, gritting through her teeth. "I'm too weak to fight them off alone."

"You're not alone, Bryna." Eir said, clenching her fists and raising them to her face. "We'll just have to do this the old-fashioned way." Bryna nodded, shifting the mace in her hands. Even the slightest of movements was beginning to become agonizing, and she could feel her concentration slipping; a sure sign that soon, she'd lose consciousness completely.

"Eir…" Bryna said, watching the mordrem carefully as they surrounded them. "If I… If I go down… you need to get free. Let Eileria know…"

"Stop that." Eir said briskly, her voice firm. "We're getting out of here together." Bryna made no further comment. She didn't need to say anything for the other Norn to understand what would need to happen should she die this day.

The mordrem, it seemed, had decided they'd deliberated enough, and took that moment to charge. Eir dodged one and blocked another with her arm, seething in pain at their barbed weapons when they made contact with her skin. Bryna swung her mace with no regard for her surroundings, swiping in every which direction, trusting Eir to ensure she was a safe distance from the Guardian's powerful swings. Some of the mordrem were it seemed, barely of average intelligence, and took her swings straight to their bodies, rocketing forward and aft, slamming into trees and one unlucky creature, off the edge and into the depths below. The others were smarter, and took the crazed blows for what they were; adrenaline.

Bryna took note of the mordrem that merely remained defensive, allowing other, smaller mordrem to come forth to try to restrain her. When they did engage, it was carefully calculated movements, something she recognized from her lover, Eileria, and it eerily felt wrong to witness these creature's display something close to the humanity they once held. It disturbed her, and it also scared her. She was tiring too fast now. Her muscles burned and the throbbing in her abdomen had turned to numbness. Her breathing was ragged and the strong grip she'd been able to maintain for a short time was now drawing to a close. Eir was hardly doing better with no weapon to defend herself, her arms and face bearing cuts and bruises from frequent contact with Mordrem blade and fist.

Her reaction time slowed, and in the instance she'd flickered her eyes to check on Eir, the larger, more commanding Mordrem closed in, raising their swords high above their heads and swinging them down to meet her. She managed to get her mace up to block, but the sheer force of their blow forced her back onto her backside, and she only just barely avoided the second blade by rolling to the side. She could see double and she heaved, losing the contents of her stomach onto the damp earth beneath her. She clutched the mace in her fist, clenching her teeth as she stared defiantly into the soul-torn eyes of the mordrem as it brought the brunt of its weapon into her head, and she finally fell into unconsciousness once more.

Eir gasped and rolled to the Guardian's side, kicking at the Mordrem attempting to grab her again.

"It is useless to resist, Eir Stagalkin." The creature sneered, raising its weapon once more. "We all serve the Jungle Dragon."

The last thing Eir thought before her world when black was of her conversation with Bryna earlier that day. Of how there were only two reasons the mordrem would keep them alive. She realized, as the weapon came for her head, that they'd been wrong. It wasn't one or the other, but both reasons that had led them to this moment, and in pain, they would meet their destiny.

::::

"Commander! Commander!" Eileria turned slowly on her heel, trying her best to remain level-headed and professional, but finding it altogether difficult to do much other than pace in a straight line across the commanding platform, watching Pact soldiers scurrying about the Silverwastes in haste. A small male asura with dull brown eyes walked up to her, looking nervous, hopeful, and also, slightly in awe of the commanding presence of the tall Sylvari. She stood and clasped her hands behind her back, awaiting whatever report the asura had come to her with. Composing himself, the asura grunted beneath his breath.

"Your ship is finally ready, Commander." He said quickly. "It will be ready for provisions and boarding as soon as possible."

"Thank you, Nixx." She said sincerely. "Please, pass along my thanks to the rest of your Krewe. You are all instrumental in ensuring we get to Maguuma to assist the Pact." The asura blushed slightly, nodding his head deftly before scurrying off into the distance, no doubt to speak to the rest of his Krewe. Eileria turned heel and stalked over to where Marjory and Kasmeer were standing, observing her warily.

"The ship is ready to board." Eileria stated briskly. "Gather the crew and let's get the provisions we need. I don't want to waste another moment." Marjory and Kasmeer nodded, leaving their positions to gather the others. Iedreth walked up to the Mesmer, her pink eyes looking over the older Sylvari carefully.

"Are you well, Commander?" The young sapling asked, clutching her staff carefully to her person. Eileria turned to the younger Mesmer, sighing.

"I will be, Iedreth." She said, grasping at a delicate chain around her neck. A hand carved ring was bound by it, and Iedreth found herself wondering about it curiously. "Once we get into Maguuma…" She trailed off and Iedreth found herself, almost as if Deja vous, remembering her dream and the was Eileria often cut off while speaking, as if her thoughts stole her voice and filled them with empty air instead. She gently, almost cautiously, laid a hand on Eileria's shoulder, her face softening as the Mesmer's blind-folded face turned to her.

"You're not alone in this, Commander." Iedreth told her softly. "We'll be with you every step of the way." Eileria smiled somberly, placing a gentle hand on the sapling's cheek.

"Ah, Iedreth. So right you are." She sighed, removing her hand and turning to face the open area towards Dry Top. "I feel as if I've never truly been alone since birth. My love Bryna was there when my pod opened. And Trahearne was there when I faced the Green Knight from my dream. Forgal was there for Claw Island. I've had no shortage of friends and accomplices to help me through these years; to pass each trial as if it were nothing but child's play." She seemed to retreat into herself for a moment, and Iedreth could swear it was as if her image shimmered, as if all she was truly seeing was an illusion.

"I've never truly been uncertain about anything my entire life, Iedreth." Eileria said, her voice low. "But when Bryna and Trahearne and Eir left for Maguuma… There was this, air of uncertainty that threatens to drown me even to this moment." She peeled off her blindfold and her amethyst sparkling eyes peered at the pale Mesmer with an intensity that unsettled her. "You know what I speak of, yes?"

And she did. The Dragon's whispers. There was no denying the sheer presence of the creature, especially as close to Maguuma as they were. Though it'd been a little bit of time since he'd drowned Iedreth's very concentration with his roar for dominance, his echo still lay behind their thoughts, drowning them in undertones that only the strong could fight. Iedreth's gaze moved to peer at Kairith, who was pointing to a map Curran had spread out, listening to Hiami explain something with wild, flailing movements of her arms, an excited twinkle in her eye. They were all at risk, doing this. Stepping foot into Maguuma meant they could very well die. Or worse, become one with the Jungle Dragon.

"Though I know your answer, in many ways I'd hope you'd turn away from this mission." Eileria confided gently. "I would harbor no hard feelings for you, sapling. This is not an easy task. You've done well to build yourself to this point. All the training, hardships, friendships… But this is not truly your fight. You and your friends _could_ turn away now." Iedreth shook her head, smiling brightly at the Commander.

"I could never do that." She replied. "This is my destiny, Commander. We will follow you gladly into the jungle. Come what may." Eileria smiled and embraced her quickly. Footsteps approached and the two mesmers turned, seeing Braham and Rox walking forward.

"Ship is prepped for travel, Boss." Rox said, her ear flicking curiously. Storage is packed with more than enough supplies for a dry run to and from if need be. We also grabbed some first aid items. Thought they may come in handy."

"Thank you Rox, that forethought may yet save us valuable lives." Eileria said, nodding to the Charr. "Braham, can you ensure Taimi doesn't get distracted? We're leaving here shortly. We need everyone on the ship and ready to depart."

"Taimi's hovering over by the little pink asura." Braham said jovially, jabbing a thumb in the direction Iedreth had just been looking. "I think she's curious about what she's up to."

"Who wouldn't be." Iedreth said, giggling slightly. "Hiami has a way about her. She's extremely likeable."

"I can tell." Braham replied, smirking. "Taimi keeps trying to inch closer to them when she thinks they're not looking. I know the thief has already noticed."

"There's not much that escapes Kairith's notice." Iedreth mused in agreement. "Let's go inform them together shall we? I think the commander needs a few more moments… alone." Braham and Rox both shot a look at the Commander, but said nothing, instead following the dainty Sylvari over to the other group.

...

"Natural landmasses here and here might be a slight navigational issue." Hiami insisted, pressing a clawed finger to the map insistently. "Especially if the land masses are infused with ley-energy. They could be floating or displaced."

"I don't disagree with that assessment." Curran replied gravely, stroking his chin with a hand thoughtfully. "Much of Maguuma remains a mystery, and we may need to take the ship in slowly to avoid an accidental crash. The last thing the Commander needs is a damaged ship and a group of warriors stranded without assistance. Then we won't do much good for the rest of the Pact."

"Here, Here." Kairith said in a flat tone. "We'll need sharp eyes for lookouts. Do we have any rangers in the group?"

"Ya got me. I'm a good a shot as anyone." Rox cut in. The two Sylvari and Hiami all turned to watch the mixed trio walking forward to join them. "I can see further than most too. Ask Braham how good my eyes are."

"She's got great eyes, and a lousy attitude." He jested, punching her arm lightly. She rolled her green eyes and grunted beneath her breath. Iedreth moved to stand beside Kairith, wrapping an arm around his waist.

"We should have two, to ensure integrity, and also to give Rox a break." Curran said, adjusting his metal blindfold loftily. "One person, as good as they might be, will not be enough against the cunning of an elder dragon." The group was silent for a moment, and then Taimi popped up.

"Scruffy has multiple scanners that could prove useful." She stated. "I can serve as the backup lookout."

"It's settled then." Hiami said, rolling up the map and placing it in the large rucksack the sat on the deck. "Let's scurry over to the ship then. I take it you weren't all here for a social call?"

"Not purely." Iedreth replied, her eyes glazing over slightly. "The Commander is anxious to be moving on into Maguuma. Where are the two humans at?"

"Already aboard, if I'm thinking of the two you are." Kairith teased. "I saw the blond one doing various inspections on the bulkheads of the ship before disappearing into the command center. The other one was standing next to the dock a few minutes ago." The group gathered the maps and documents, instruments and tools and headed over to the docking area, stepping onto the ship and peering around in wonder. The necromancer, Marjory, popped out of seemingly nowhere, her dark eyes peering at them all expectantly.

"Welcome to the ship." She said, gesturing around. "The papers should go in the command center, most of the tools and instruments you can set of to the starboard side." She said, indicating the right side of the ship. "Where's the boss?"

"She's taking a minute to herself." Braham stated bluntly. He gestured for Taimi to board and she directed Scruffy to shuffle itself onto the smooth deck of the ship. Hiami climbed her way up to Curran's shoulder, where he secured a hand to her thigh and stepped aboard; bending at the waist as he entered the command center to ensure Hiami had enough clearance. Kairith took a cursory look of the layout of the ship, nodding in approval.

"It looks like they did a pretty good job overall."

"As good a job as they could anyway." The group turned to see the sour expression on Canach's face as he too boarded the ship.

"You're coming with us?" Kairith asked skeptically, eyes narrowed slightly in distrust. The second-born shrugged, his face impassive.

"I have a duty to fulfil. A contract to meet, if you will." He said. "I intend to be freed of all debts. The Commander trusts me here, you'd be wise to do the same." Kairith made no reply, but Iedreth could feel the tension in his body at the elder Sylvari. She to her interest, looked between them, blinking with bewilderment. Canach offered no further explanation then his cryptic message, and instead headed to the back end of the ship, looking grumpier by the minute. Braham and Rox exchanged a look, shrugged, then picked up a few boxes to move to where Marjory had indicated prior. It took little time for the final preparations to be set, but less than a half hour after they'd boarded, the ship was officially ready to fly off into the dangerous jungle, and the Commander, seeming to have steeled herself, stepped aboard, her entire demeanor radiating courage, power, and command.

"Alright crew, listen up." She stated, her high voice loud enough to clear even the larger sections of the ship. Everyone moved to where they could see her, eyes focused on her as she spoke. "This mission will be dangerous, and there will not be time to turn back. I say now, that if you have even the slightest of doubts… none of us here will hold it against you if you'd rather not trek into the unknown." When no one immediately spoke up, she nodded curtly, wrapping her hands behind her back.

"I expect nothing less than complete concentration as we enter Maguuma." She stated bluntly. "The jungle dragon, Mordremoth, does not play games. It is extremely dangerous, and everyone needs to be on their guard one hundred percent of the time. We can't afford to lose one person on this venture. The Pact may very well need us. This is not the time to falter." There was a nodding of heads, and many of the group looked determined, emboldened by her speech.

"I beseech you now, there is only one way to victory against this dragon; it's together, as one unit!" She stated, her voice commanding. "We will strike down this dragon, for our friends, our brothers, our sisters-" She paused, her expression seeming to flicker towards Marjory for the briefest of moments, before scanning back over the entirety of her crew. Iedreth's eyes flickered over to the Necromancer and she narrowed her eyes, catching the blanched expression upon her face.

"-And we will show him the true meaning of the Pact." She finished, her high voice ringing in the silence. Clapping and cheering amongst their small rag-tag team rang out, and Iedreth felt a soft gaze on her face, turning to look at Kairith, who's warm blue eyes were staring intensely into her own. She reached her hand down to clasp it with his, and she smiled, willing her hopefulness into him as well.

Movement about the decks was frenzied and yet organized as the ship began its ascension and forward procession towards Maguuma. The ship, despite the cranking of the gears and fluttering of the rudders, scurrying feet and moving boxes, was devoid of conversation. Crossing over Dry top sent everyone's nerves on edge, and into high alert. It was almost as if they could feel the Dragon's eyes open above them, welcoming them into his domain, like a fly to a spider's trap. Iedreth hadn't let go of Kairith's hand, instead assisting him in carrying sacks of stored grain to the opposite end of the ship, and he didn't blame her. Something sinister was lurking over all of them, and Kairith found it ominous that the Dragon's whispers had not increased as they neared Maguuma, but stopped altogether.

He knew he wasn't the only one that felt it. He'd caught Curran's eye several times, the tall revenant shot him glances worriedly as he scanned the map before looking out the breach-point to verify their heading. Hiami seemed not to notice, her brow furrowed in concentration as she ran a clawed finger around the map as if tracing something she'd seen. The commander stood impassively at the bridge, her back to the chaotic tension of the ship, arms crossed behind her back, which was straight and proud… but tense as well.

A strange low groaning sound seemed to rumble from the ship momentarily and a few short gasps rang out in the twittering ambient sounds of the night, and Kairth, pulling Iedreth with him, feinted to the side of the ship, looking over to see the lush and dark jungle looming just ahead of them. His shoulders tensed and he felt Iedreth shrink into herself slightly, her eyes wide as she stared into the green abyss that was Maguuma. They were making good time. But the jungle was vast and expansive; it could be a very long time before they were able to regroup with the Pact.

"Steady as she goes, stay sharp!" The commander called, her voice strong and clear. The others snapped out of their awed gazes and continued to scurry about, prepping for the breach of the jungle. Eileria turned away from the bridge, catching the thief's eye before turning to look at the pale white sapling holding his hand.

"Iedreth, if I may." She said, her voice low. Iedreth tilted her head, looking at the Commander with curiousity. The elder mesmer smiled and pulled a deceivingly small purple bag from seemingly nowhere, and reaching her arm inside. She tugged and out came a shortsword, one she gasped as she remembered with a start her dream.

"Is that…" She trailed off. Eileria set the sword against her leg before reaching into the bag again and pulling its twin out, placing the magical bag on her waist where it seemed to disappear into oblivion. She reached down and grasped the hilts of the swords carefully, and Iedreth ran her eyes over the blades appreciatively, admiring their light fractal design.

These blades have saved me many times over the years." The commander said fondly, her grip loose on the handles. But when I witnessed your dream, I realized that they were meant for you. I hope you don't mind." She said quickly, a frown on her face. "Getting hand-me-downs may not exactly be-"

"I would be honored to carry the blades you once held dear, Commander." Iedreth interrupted, her voice soft. Eileria smiled and held them out to her, watching carefully as the younger Sylvari reached out and grasped the handles firmly, marveling at the well-fitting handles.

"I cannot express enough thanks, Commander." Iedreth said, her voice overflowing with emotion. Eileria smiled briefly and Iedreth bowed slightly, still gripping the swords tightly in her hands. The elder Sylvari turned heel to head back to the bridge, and Iedreth sent a shining smile at Kairith. He smiled back at her, then touched the blades lightly.

"It is unusual for a Commander of her caliber to give a gift like this." He said, the awe in his voice clear. "Cherish it, Iedreth. Use them well." She nodded, notching them to her side and then looking out to the side of the ship, where now, lush tropic trees, larger than mountains it seemed, loomed eerily around them.

"Stay alert." Eileria's voice called. "We approach uncharted territory."

Iedreth's first impression was that the jungle was beautiful. The trees were enormous and sinuous, flowing like clouds towards the sky, the leaves lush green and swaying lightly in the breeze. Dotting the landscape were brightly colored flora that bloomed it seemed, almost too welcomingly. They could hear creatures chittering and ambient sounds echoed in the untouched jungle as they motored through in the air ship. Iedreth took a step closer to Kairith on instinct. This place felt too… homey. She didn't like the way it made her feel. Not at all. It seemed Kairith shared her lack of enthusiasm, his eyes narrowing at the darkening jungle.

For a while, there was no talking amongst the crew, only the shuffling of feet or whispers of papers moving from right to left, or scribbling on the parchment edges. Everyone was on edge.

The first sign that something was wrong was the sound of the jungle. The strange and foreign chittering of whatever creatures lay there became silent, and the leaves almost became petrified they were so still. The only sound was of the airships motor, taking them deeper into the belly of the jungle.

 _You are in_ MY _territory now… my children._

The sound of the airship lurching to a dead stop was deafening after several minutes of silence. Iedreth and Kairith were flung forward, and Kairith lost his grip on the white Sylvari's hand altogether, as he skidded to a halt just feet from the edge of the bow, which was tilting quickly to almost a vertical slope.

"Watch out!"

It all moved so fast Iedreth hardly caught it all. One moment she was picking herself up, trying to reach for Kairith again when a horrendous tearing and ripping noise echoed through the jungle and the ship was split into two, sending her on the forward end of the ship, and he, to the aft end. She grasped the railings firmly, trying to steady herself as the gap between her and the rest of the ship grew. Her eyes widened in panic and she hear a groan from beside her. She turned her eyes to see Curran slowly getting to his feet, his face wrenched in irritation as he watched the ship ends separate.

"Kairith!" Iedreth called out, trying not to panic further. "Kairith, I-" She was caught off as the ley-infused vines that tore the ship apart, lurched them back before launching them into the depths of the infinite jungle, screaming in terror. Kairith's eyes bulged and he launched himself forward, only to be pulled back by an unfamiliar pull of magic. He turned, eyes wheeling, to see who'd stopped him, and became still when he saw the grim expression on the Commander's face, her hand stretched out as her magic held him in place.

"Search for the nearest drop-off, don't let anyone else fall off this ship!" She barked out, her posture and tone terrifying. " _Now!_ " There was no arguing with that tone. Scrambling feet moved about the deck, searching for anything and everything that could be used to secure themselves to the deck of the broken airship. Kairith gritted his teeth, eyes searching the black depths of the jungle, as if he could see her white body if he searched hard enough. He shook his head, realizing he'd need to regroup if they were to send out a search party, when again the ship lurched forward, and a loud crunching noise permeated the space.

"It's tearing the ship apart!" Kasmeer shouted, holding onto the rope secured at her waist for dear life. "It's trying to take us down!"

"Kas, can you send a portal down?" Marjory shouted above the din. Kasmeer shook her head and looked to the Commander, who also shook hers.

"There's not a clear jungle floor for us to settle onto." Eileria replied grimly. "We will have to just-"

 _It is useless to resist the call of the jungle my children…_

The three Sylvari still aboard the ship stopped in their tracks at the pure mirthful voice that echoed through their ears. Eileria's eyes narrowed and Canach continued to attempt to look impassive, but Kairith was furious. He opened his mouth, to do what, he wasn't sure, likely to attempt to shout at the jungle dragon, when the ship again twisted and sent him, unsecured, flying off into the abyss, where his last thoughts were of a while Sylvari screaming in terror, before the darkness enveloped him whole.

...

And that's the chapter! I apologize for being so late, So much going on, but I hope I made up for it with this nearly 5000 word chapter! :D Enjoy!


	30. Lost

Purpose: Chapter 30: Lost

...

Iedreth's eyes opened slowly, almost as if they'd been glued shut and only just began to crack at the edges. She groaned as she made herself sit up, a hand already at her forehead tenderly touching it to feel for anything. Her hand came away and dried blood, cracked brownish-gold was clustered around her fingers. She grimaced and blinked slowly, still slightly incoherent from the fall to the jungle floor. Around her it was not silent. Insects chirped, creatures rustled through the foliage, the dampness of the flora seemed to drip in melodic symphonies across the jungle, and even though she was terrified, she was also calmed.

She quickly did a once-over on herself to ensure her injuries were not too severe. She was pleased to note other than a rather shallow laceration on the side of her head, she'd received little to no other injuries other than minor scrapes and bruises due to the fall. In all honesty, she realized, she had come out extremely lucky, considering how far she'd fallen. She braced her arms against the ground and lifted herself slowly into a stand, seething at the slight pain that wracked her body. She looked around her carefully, unsure if any other passengers from the airship had made it to safety, or if she'd encounter them as she tried to make her way back to the ship, or whatever might remain of it.

Trekking through the jungle alone was not ideal, but Iedreth knew better than to attempt to draw more attention to herself, potentially unwanted attention, no less, in unfamiliar attention, even _if_ it could possible draw out any of her allies. She could almost feel eyes on her back as she traipsed through the foliage, a shiver running down her spine occasionally. Her hands flitted to her sides to find, by some miracle, that she actually still had her weapons. In her disorientation, she was surprised she hadn't checked to begin with. Perhaps she had lost more than just her bearings in the fall. She grasped her hands to her arms and rubbed them gently. The jungle made her feel off-center, and she hoped she'd find something to help her out soon.

 _You are in my domain now child. All paths lead to me…_

The hissing whisper made Iedreth's blood run cold and she whipped around as if expecting Mordremoth to manifest itself within the vines. But all was as it had been when she'd walked past it before. She shivered involuntarily and continued walking, her thoughts and feelings on edge.

After what seemed to be close to an hour, Iedreth began to feel despair creeping up on her. She was lost, she had no idea where her friends were, and if they were even alive- She was in a jungle where the dragon who turned her kind into killers was the dominant figure and she was _scared._ She was so scared, and she could feel the trembling beginning to overwhelm her as the realization of her situation began to crash down on her. Her hand rested against the trunk of a towering tree, and she leaned down, emptying the contents of her stomach onto the marshy jungle floor. After heaving for a few moments she took a few deep breaths, trying to calm herself. It would do her no good to panic, though that was all she seemed to be able to do at the moment. She had to think, come up with a plan. She would resolve herself. She had to.

A low groaning sound made her jump and her weapons were in her hands quicker than she could process how she'd removed them so quickly, their fractal-like blades glinting in the shards of light that protruded through the trees. The low moan came again and she shifted slightly, waving a sword and creating an illusion to use as backup in case it was hostile. She moved slowly, her feet hardly making a sound against the ground as she approached the source of the noise. She reached forward with her blade, using it to shift the branch blocking her view to the left, and gasped out when she saw Curran, sprawled out against a good chunk of the ship that was in pieces, his thick plated armor dented and some missing in places, his thick golden sap trailing from his head and across his neck. His eyes were pressed shut in pain, but he was alive. Iedreth quickly sheathed her weapons and ran to her friend's side, almost crying in palpable relief.

"Curran!" She said, trying to keep her voice low. His eyes snapped open but took a few seconds to focus on her face. He reached a hand up and she grasped it, hysterically breathing and crying tears of relief. He looked at her, perplexed.

"We… crashed?" He asked, his brow furrowing in confusion. "Things are spinning, I can't… I can't concentrate." Iedreth looked around until she saw his head-gear, a metal blindfold, essentially, and secured it over his eyes. He let out a sigh of relief, and she waited patiently for him to readjust. She'd forgotten that he spent so much time dulling his vision-sense to amplify the others, that exposing his vision back to reality was likely a jarring experience in and of itself. He sat up and groaned, wrapping an arm around his chest, teeth clenched.

"I'm pretty sure I broke something." He stated through clenched teeth. "Are you alright? Have you seen any of the others? Hiami? Kairith?"

"You're the only one I've found so far." Iedreth told him honestly. "I haven't been conscious too long, around an hour? Maybe less, maybe more, I'm not sure…" She trailed off and Curran frowned, his thoughts faraway.

"I'm not even sure where exactly we are in the jungle, or how far away the rest of the group is, or even if-"

"Iedreth, slow down." He said softly, and she cut off. "We are going to find them. Don't waste your energy worrying in circles." She nodded, but still felt the panic bubbling beneath the innate relief that she'd finally found a friend.

"Are you going to be alright to travel?" She asked as he stood up. He shifted his shoulders and cracked his neck before inhaling and exhaling quickly.

"I'll be fine." He insisted. "Didn't happen to spot my great-sword or hammer, did you?" Iedreth grimaced and looked around, but spotted neither of the revenant's weapons.

"I haven't." She told him. "We might come across them if we keep moving. I'm sure the wreckage is pretty spread out across the jungle." Curran frowned but nodded his agreement. He reached into a flap on his armor and pulled out a scroll.

"Is that…" She asked, hopeful.

"A rudimentary map? Yes." He said, spreading it out on a chunk of flat metal. "It would help if we could get some sense of our bearings, even if only just barely." He scanned the map, then the surroundings, alternating between the two for a few minutes while Iedreth watched apprehensively at his side.

"We should be able to move north." He said, pointing to the map. "We were headed North East when we were attacked, and the vines sent the bow of the airship towards the north. If they continued in that trajectory, we should find a crash party around… here." He said, pointing to the map.

"Well, what are we waiting for then?" She asked, her voice raising in pitch. "We should keep moving. The jungle will only become more dangerous the longer we stay in one place." Curran grimaced.

"Yes, of course." He said, his head turning as if scanning the area. "I don't sense any others around here anyway. We should move north and regroup with whomever we can." Iedreth nodded eagerly and the two Sylvari set off into the living jungle.

...

 _"Wake up my beautiful flower, the sun is rising, you'll miss the gorgeous sky…"_ Eileria hummed at the voice of her lover, reaching up to touch her ephemeral cheek, and frowning when her hand passed right through her. She slowly opened her eyes and observed the smoldering wreckage around her. Coughing and low talking broke her out of her stupor and she forced herself to stand, ignoring any and all of her aches and pains. There wasn't time for them right now. She had to pull everything together. She had to salvage what she could of this missing.

 _Is this how Bryna was introduced to Maguuma?_ She wondered to herself. _On the wings of a destroyed fleet and a hostile jungle?_ She peered around in the dark and walked over to where Braham was just standing, seething at a large cut on his arm, but seeming otherwise unharmed.

"Are you alright, Braham?" She asked him, setting a hand on his arm.

"Yeah, we took a nasty fall." He said, looking around. "We should split up and see how many people we can recover, boss. I don't like how this jungle feels." Eileria agreed, but made no further comment. Instead, she turned heel and headed for the smoking remains of the aft end of their ship. The voices she'd heard earlier belonged to Marjory and Kasmeer, both of whom looked slightly haggard, but otherwise in good health.

"Any substantial injuries?" Eileria asked, eyeing them each carefully.

"We're okay bo-Commander." Kasmeer said, straightening out of her crouch. "Jory thinks she might have sprained her wrist, but otherwise we're fine." Eileria nodded.

"Have you seen any of the others?"

"Not recently." Marjory admitted. "We were more focused on getting out of the burning wreckage. Any Sylvari that were with us probably hiked town. Speaking of which…." She peered around. "I don't see your new friends anywhere. The three Sylvari and Asura?" Eileria grimaced, the same thought having occurred to her before.

"I don't want to make any assumptions until told otherwise." Eileria replied vaguely. "Mordremoth may be strong, but I have faith in those we brought on this expedition." Neither human responded and Eileria turned at the sound of her name being called. Taimi and Rox came running up, Taimi albeit slowly, Scruffy nowhere in sight.

"Scruffy?" She asked the tiny asura. Taimi shook her head.

"He's around somewhere, but Rox insisted we meet back up with the group before we try to recover him." Her irritation nearly made Eileria laugh.

"We'll get him back Taimi." She said, lifting the little asura. "Let's regroup and assess the supplies and we'll go from there. The quicker we get the logistics sorted out, the quicker we can start scouring the area for the rest of the crew.

Meeting all together in the center of the wreckage Eileria assessed the salvaged supplies. A few crates of preserved foods, two crates of munitions, and a couple of sacks containing other edibles such as fruits and vegetables. Some of the weaponry had been recovered, but much of the bulk of their supplies were currently ash or fueling what remained of the fire on the dregs of the ship. Eileria frowned at their predicament.

"Well boss?" Braham asked, looking anxious. "What do you think?"

"I think we're going to need to scrounge for more supplies." She stated honestly. "This will be enough to get us through a day or two… likely no more than that. And we are still missing people from the crew… Canach, Iedreth, Kairith, Curran and Hiami. Sending out a search party doesn't seem like the best thing to do at the moment… dusk is falling." The group peered up at the ceiling of the jungle and sure enough, the sky was darkening, making it even more difficult to see through the dense foliage.

"We can't just sit around and do nothing." Braham replied, his anxiety showing in his tone and posture. "We're never going to find the Pact like this."

"We won't find anyone at all if we just rush off. Then we risk losing supplies, people, or even footing. Don't forget Braham, we're in a strange, uncharted area, with few supplies and even fewer outside resources coming into the jungle. We are effectively on our own. We have to be smart, not brash." Braham looked appropriately abashed and Eileria felt bad for a split second, knowing he was just eager to find his mother. But rushing into the unknown was not ideal, and if the whispers in her head were any indication of anything, it was that the jungle dragon knew of its advantage, and was eager to use it.

"So what _do_ we do, Boss?" Rox asked, her green eyes flickering carefully between the Norn and Sylvari commander.

"We set up a camp, use the wreckage of the ship to create a barrier of sorts, and then we make a plan to sort out the rest." Eileria said, massaging her temples. "The faster we can pull the entirety of the group together the better."

Running footsteps and rustling leaves made the group turn on heel, weapons at the ready and stances set, when a familiar pair came barreling out of the jungle, eyes wild and looking slightly worse for wear, but alive, and not seeming to be Mordrem.

"Iedreth?" Eileria called out tentatively. Iedreth smiled cautiously, then frowned when she peered about the group and did not see her companion, the thief.

"He's not here!" She wailed out, and Curran went to grab her but she was too quick.

"Iedreth- Don't!" He called after her. She rushed into the jungle and the revenant chased after her, leaving most of the group confused, and Eileria extremely concerned.

"I see they found you." Canach's voice came warbling out of the dense jungle, and he stepped free, brushing off his armor. "Didn't stick around long, did they?"

"Canach, I see the jungle hasn't made work of you yet." Eileria said, gesturing that he join them. "We have to go get them, they don't know how to navigate the jungle-"

 _Worry not child…. My children will join me in good time. But for now…_

The roar behind her ears was not truly there, but she noticed Canach stiffen at the intrusion as well. Something was going to happen, and though she wasn't sure exactly what, she had a feeling…

The noise of the jungle stopped for a moment before a high pitched keening, not unlike the cicadas in summer, began to grow as if in crescendo, and from the edge of the trees stepped out Mordrem unlike any they'd seen before.

These creatures were like Sylvari in that they were humanoid in general shape, but that was where the similarities ended. They were covered in thick, dense vines and bark, their eyes mere slits of red and carrying weapons that looked to have been pulled from their very bodies. They did not speak, merely clicking like crickets and shifting their attention between the group greedily. Eileria did not like the odds they presented, as nearly triple their number emerged from the jungle line.

"Stay close to one another." She said, holding her weapons aloft, staring at the largest of their number, a Mordrem with a large ornate headpiece. The creature in question made a series of clicking noises before stepping forward.

"We will be taking you to the Jungle Dragon." It spoke, it's voice grating and harsh. "Resist all you like, Eileria Cloud."

"Looks like you could use a hand." The group turned to see a familiar figure standing atop the wreckage of their airship, a strip of cloth across his eyes.

"Rytlock!"

...

"Iedreth!"

Kairith panted as he ran around in a panic, the dense jungle hardly existing to him as he tried to navigate. It had all gone so wrong. The ship had crashed, split in half by a giant limb or vine. He wasn't sure, nor did he truly care all that much. One moment, they'd been talking, her eyes wide and excited as they flitted between him and the Commander. He hadn't blamed her for her fascination. Nobody on the ship could deny the pure _presence_ that the commander presented. Then the next... it had been pure chaos.

"Slow _down_ Kairith." Hiami growled out in frustration. "My legs are small you know." Kairith skidded to a stop, squinting into the trees he'd just come barreling through to see if he could spot a jolt of pink hair. Sure enough, it came bobbing through with its owner, looking flustered and irritable, her armor scuffed and disheveled. He also took note that her ever-present self-appointed guardian Curran was nowhere to be found.

"Curran?" He asked her tentatively. Her brow furrowed, but she shrugged, trying to seem nonchalant.

"I expect he's in the same place Iedreth's in. He slid to her side of the boat when it was torn apart. Based off of the trajectory, I'd say we need to be heading North, not East."

"I'll admit I was more or less oblivious to direction prior to you coming up on me." Kairith replied hastily.

"I'll acquiesce that direction generally takes a back-seat whereupon one is panicking." Hiami allowed. "But now we have to think smartly. This jungle is unfamiliar, and dangerous. We can't just go running through it screaming. Have a little faith in Iedreth. She will be alright until we find them." Kairith nodded, but his heart continued to pound out of rhythm. He just _felt_ wrong. He wasn't sure what it was; whether it be the jungle or perhaps just being away from _her_ , but he felt ill at ease. Frustrated. Anxious.

Hiami reached into her small sack and pulled out a compass, her eyes shifting between it and the sky a few times, before turning to the right and pointing to a dense plateau ahead.

"There." She said, standing on her toes to peer over the trees. "That's our best bet." Kairith peered in that direction, and was not entirely surprised to see a fading stack of smoke above the massive trees.

"I see fading smoke, let's go." They moved as stealthily as they could through the forest while also keeping time, trying not to move too slowly, lest they miss their group altogether. Their first hint that they were coming close was the chittering of the native creatures began to wane until it was nearly silent. The second was the sounds of Mesmer illusions shattering and the egregious sounds of battle.

Taking a quick glance at one another, Kairith and Hiami rushed into the clearing at the top of the plateau, where the other half of the smoldering ship lay ruined, and where some of their group were fighting off strange creatures, similar to Sylvari, but large, more powerful looking. Scarier.

Kairith didn't think, he just acted, drawing his knives and charging at the nearest creature, which was shaking its strange head as it dove at the Commander, trying its best to get a grip on the tall Mesmer. The creature was surprised at the extra company, and took two knives to the back for its trouble. Hiami's claymore was already slicing into one of the plant-like raptors that were cornering Rox and Braham near the crevice edge, allowing the two to focus on the other humanoid creatures attacking them. Kairith's eyes flitted around the group. The commander. The human mesmer and her lover the necromancer. The female charr and the son of Eir Stagalkin. Another male charr that seemed familiar in too many ways to be coincidental. Two nondescript humans and another asura clinging to a golem at least three times her size.

He did a double check.

Then another.

They weren't there.

"Hiami!" Kairith called out, shadow-stepping and appearing next to her as she finished off the second raptor-creature. "They're not here!" Hiami stopped and took a quick look around. Her brow furrowed again and she gritted her teeth together.

"We have to clear this area first. The Commander might now where they've gone." Kairith nodded and they focused their attention on the bulk of the group, which was dwindling quickly against the sheer might of the group they'd attacked. The Commander had somehow gone further up the hill, pursued by a larger, more intimidating Mordrem that seemed keen on getting to her at all costs.

Hiami and Kairith helped to clear the remaining Mordrem that attacked, watching out of the corner of their eyes as Eileria took on the Commanding Mordrem, whose attacks were dangerously close to the commander, but never quite seemed to make contact.

"Thank the Gods you showed up." The blond Mesmer, Kasmeer exclaimed. "They showed up so suddenly, we were nearly overrun!"

"It seems it was attempting to divide and conquer." Hiami said, peering at the Mordrem corpses that littered the plateau. "Where are the other two of our group? The two Sylvari?"

"The white one and the brown one you mean?" Marjory answered, stepping forward. "I saw them shortly after we crashed. They came out of the jungle together, looking pretty worn down. The white one... Iedreth? She ran off and the male followed her. The boss tried to stop them but we were attacked before we could make a pursuit." She seemed to remember at that moment that the commander was still fighting the last Mordrem, and they all ran to intercept.

But it didn't seem to be needed. The Mordrem was on its back, panting and shredded, Eileria's blade at its throat.

"A waste of your talents." It hissed. "You cannot escape your fate. Our father calls to us all."

"Not in this lifetime." Eileria said coldly, sending her blade into the creature's throat. She looked away for a moment, before sighing and turning to the group.

"There will be more." She said, sheathing her swords and crossing her arms. "We can't risk keeping camp here now that they know we're here."

"There's very few safe zones in this whole area." Rytlock, the charr Kairith had vaguely recognized, said. "I'm not saying we should stay put, but we can't just bumble around either."

"We have to find Iedreth and Curran." Kairith said, looking at the commander earnestly. "They are just as new to this place as we are. If we stay separated..."

"I agree." Eileria said, her tone a challenge to anyone who thought to argue. "But we can't all go. We need a group to set up a perimeter her as a temporary base of operations. The rest of us will go search for our comrades. _All_ of our comrades." She said, with a glance at Braham, who looked as anxious as Kairith felt.

"I'll stay back with Taimi." Rox volunteered, eyeing Rytlock speculatively. "We can reactivate the safety defenses from here while you take a hunting party to search."

"That's a good idea. Marjory? Can you and Kasmeer back them up here?"

"Of course!" Kasmeer answered. "Are you sure you'll have enough?"

"We will be fine with four." Eileria replied, looking at Kairith, Hiami, and Rytlock. "Braham, I'll give you the choice."

"I'll go with you." He said firmly. "If there's any chance to find Eir..."

"I understand." Eileria answered, her face grim. "We shouldn't waste more time. Let's get a move on."

...

Alright so there it is! I'm sorry it's so late folks, I've been struggling with a little bit of writers block and I'm desperately trying to surpass it. Anyhoo, a lot of the content from here on out should be closer to canon, and I'll be introducing some [new] characters (New to this particular story, some of you will recognize them from my drabbles stories) pretty soon here as well. So stay tuned, and as always, thank you for reading!


	31. Presumption and Benevolence

Chapter 31: Presumption and Benevolence

...

I am so sorry for the really super late update! I just haven't really had to much inspiration or time to work on this chapter, but recently I just felt a little nudge to get something out, so I'm hoping this chapter gives you all the fix you need before I start getting into the groove of things again. I do have a direction for purpose, because eventually, Iedreth's story will no longer overlap with the Commanders, but for now, a lot of it is stuff you might have seen in the Living Story, though with some minor changes or alternatives to the story. Thanks for sticking with it, and enjoy!

...

The rescue party, as Eileria would have it, was trudging through unfamiliar jungle with a grim silence that made her more uneasy than the jungle's ominous tresses. It wasn't that there wasn't anything to talk about, she supposed. Rather, that each of them were deep within their thoughts, wondering about person's they cared about, about the fleet, about a variety of things. She frowned as an image of Bryna made its way into her head. The Norn was strong, and Eileria had no doubt she'd survived the crash landing into Maguuma. However, finding little to no trace of her beloved was… nerve wracking. Terrifying. But she had to be strong, and grieving had no place in this jungle of death.

She was pulled from her thoughts by a swift whistling and her eyes narrowed as she observed Rytlock, the source of the sound, come to a stop and raise a hand deftly, before sniffing the air and growling slightly.

"Familiars up ahead, Commander." He said, nodding to Eileria. "Best you step up first. They'll recognize you best." Eileria nodded, her heart pounding at the word "Familiars." This could mean anyone, but likely, just personnel of the pact that were present when the fleet went down, and not the ones they were looking for. She briskly walked forward, hands on her sword and shield, and brushed past the large leaves blocking her path. Within ten feet the small band of Pact soldiers stood, some saluting, some looking warily at her as she approached, and she stopped, keeping her head tilted up and hand's steady.

"Commander?" A Sylvari soldier stood, her green skin glinting oddly in the light. Eileria noticed that the girl was sitting further away from some of the other members of the Pact, alongside two other Sylvari who looked worse for wear.

"Yes." Eileria responded. The Sylvari smiled then in relief, and most of the rest seemed to relax as well.

"Oh Commander, we're so glad you're here." The scout said, walking up to the commander and rendering her another salute. "The Pact..."

"I know... We tried to get here as fast as we could." Eileria said gently, laying a hand on her shoulder. "It seems Mordremoth was a step ahead of all of us." The scout nodded, a frown settling on her face.

"Yes... well that being said, the Pact could really use your help." She said, her voice pleading. " There's so many of our own missing... and there's a lot of... distrust, for us. The sylvari." Eileria didn't miss her eyes flicker over to a small group of humans off to the other end of the camp, the same group who'd eyed her with distrust as she'd entered the camp.

"I will do what I can." Eileria replied, bowing her head slightly. "But I do have a mission to complete. I still have to locate Destiny's Edge and Trahearne. I assume they were taken in the jungle somewhere by mordrem?"

"That's most likely correct." The scout replied. "A few personnel out of our battalion went missing, and we've been attacked by Mordrem multiple times since setting up camp. It's taken all we have not to lose anyone else at this present time." She tapped her chin with her index finger as if deep in thought. "I thought I saw a strange group of Mordrem headed West with cages but I couldn't be sure there were people inside them, it was too far and we didn't want to attract attention. That might be a start for you, if you're looking to find your missing group." Eileria nodded, slightly relieved that the scout had even that much information. It was a start, but it would help. Anything would.

"Is there anything else you have to tell me?" Eileria asked. The Pact scout thought for a moment. But shook her head.

"No, but I'm sure if you talked to Ensign Wilton, he might have a bit more information for you. She peeked behind Eileria's tall form. "And you can tell your friends to come in. We don't bite."

"Coulda fooled me." Rytlock's low rumble came through the trees. The scout grimaced but made no comment. Hiami looked on at the camp warily and Kairith seemed altogether impatient, as much so as the red-headed Norn that stood beside him. Eileria thanked the scout and briskly went to the table where Ensign Wilton's head was bent, tracing a crudely drawn map and looking frustrated.

"How can I help you, Commander?" He asked, without looking up from his papers. His voice was tired, and she could see the stress in his posture. She spoke gently but firmly.

"Destiny's Edge and Trahearne were taken prisoner, or have gone missing from the main body of the Pact." Eileria stated. "I need to find them. Any information you might have, would be helpful to me, and might help us get the Pact back on its feet." Ensign Wilton looked up, his brow furrowed.

"I haven't seen Destiny's Edge or Trahearne since long before the crash." The officer answered honestly, straightening out. "But I did see Caithe." Eileria stopped, her heart stuttering in her chest. Caithe was here? In Maguuma? She could nearly see red.

"Where did she go?" Eileria said, her hands gripping the makeshift table. The Ensign looked surprised at the intensity the Commander suddenly had, and took a step back reflexively.

"She came through a couple of hours ago, headed West." He said, pointing in the direction stated. I think she was trying to stay inconspicuous, keep a low profile. But I did see her."

"She was wearing a large backpack?" Eileria asked. He nodded.

"Yes, wondered what that might be."

"Something that belongs to me." Eileria all but snarled. "And she'll be made to give it back." She took a deep breath and exhaled, feeling the weight of the information truly fall onto her soldiers. "Thank you, Ensign Wilton, that information was very helpful."

"Not a problem, Commander." He said sheepishly. "I'm sorry I couldn't be of more assistance. But... if you ask around the camp, you might be able to get more from the soldiers. They have been easily spooked, but I guarantee that means they've seen some things, maybe even more than I have. If you need to piece together the puzzle, that's how you'll have to do it." Eileria nodded, bowing slightly before moving off to approach the small group of distrustful looking humans.

As she approached one, the other two stood up and left, leaving just the younger female scout standing there, her arm's crossed and eye's narrowed in distrust. Eileria kept her face neutral, trying to remain all business to get the information she needed. But before she could even open her mouth to ask the woman, she'd began to spew her vitriol.

"Oh, _Commander_." She leered, her posture remaining closed and threatening. "I'm surprised that they allowed you to keep your rank after what happened here." She spat on the ground and sneered angrily. "Keep moving. Mordremoth's done too much damage to us already. And I most certainly don't want to be around when he starts to pull _your_ strings."

Eileria thought herself a mildly patient woman. Hardly ever losing her temper or falling into the word traps many of her kind fell into due to their naivety. But for a moment, she nearly lost all of her composure as the word's fell into her ears and wrapped around her brain. She bit her tongue, hard, drawing blood. Now was not the time to lose her temper, and prove the young soldier right. No. She had to be poised. Mature. She inhaled, and exhaled, straightening to her full height, a good foot or more on the girl, who recoiled at the sight.

"That was out of line, soldier." Eileria said in a cold, deadly voice. "If I were you, I would respect the chain of command, lest Mordremoth be the least of your concerns this day." The veiled threat was enough to pale the young scouts face, and she uncrossed her arms, holding them at her side.

"Yes, Commander." She replied begrudgingly. "Sorry."

"Yes, you are." Eileria said. "Now fall in with the others, and get yourself organized. Mordremoth won't wait on us to be ready. And you should be more concerned with that than anything else. Have I made myself transparent?"

The scout merely saluted before trotting off, and Eileria sighed. She spotted another scout off to the side, a Sylvari, this time, looking tense, her eyes flickering between the camp and the makeshift gate.

"I see you've arrived in Maguuma, Commander." The Sylvari greeted grimly as Eileria approached her. "Welcome to hell."  
"And what damning place it is." Eileria agreed, grasping the scouts arm quickly. "Do you have a status report?" The Sylvari shifted her helm slightly, and shrugged a bit before exhaling quietly.

"It's been difficult since the crash." She replied honestly. I can only imagine you all came to Maguuma hoping we'd established a foothold, and are pretty disappointed now."

"You've all done your best." Eileria said idly, twisting a vine of hair through her thumb and forefinger, brow furrowed. "That's not really what I'm here for."

"Of course." The scout said apologetically. "The area is dense with jungle-life, and even more difficult to navigate without a glider in hand." She gestured to the outskirts of the platform they were on, where deep areas of trench, leading into the unknown of Maguuma lay. Eileria grimaced but nodded.

"Many are injured, weak, our supplies ransacked and a lot of soldiers are spooked." Her eyes flickered to the group of humans and charr to her right. "Some so much that they've made rather outlandish claims in the hopes of riling up chaos within our ranks." Eileria frowned.

"And yourself?" The Commander asked, her voice low and gentle. "How have you been fairing."

"It's… difficult." The scout's hushed voice replied. "When no one in the camp trusts you, they all make eyes at you as if at any moment you could become a monster…" Her breath hitched, her eyes wide as she stared at the Commander with almost fear.

"Do you hear him, too?" She asked, her voice hardly above a whisper. "He's so loud sometimes I… I almost don't know how to keep my composure. It hurts." Eileria rested a hand on the scout's shoulder, willing her strength to pass on to the young sylvari.

"He's always there, and I do hear him." She said. "But We must continue to resist. We must." The girl stood a bit straighter and nodded her assent.

"Commander!" Hiami's voice came across the camp. "You may want to come over here." Eileria stepped off towards the pink haired asura, who was staring off into the depths of the canopy with scrutinization. She peered over the edge where Hiami was pointing, and noted strangely uniform movement along the pulsing vines. It looked like the march of soldiers, with a thief's speed, quick and concentrated.

"Warn the Ensign, I believe we are about to have company." Eileria said grimly, drawing her blade and heaving in a steadying breath.

...

Iedreth realized too late that by running off in such haste, she would not easily be able to catch her bearings, and thusly, found herself lost in the jungle worse than before, with a breathless Curran just feet from her. Her side hurt, her head hurt, and most of all, her emotions were in agonizing turmoil.

"Iedreth." Curran said, finally catching his breath and walking up to her. "We have to find the others again. We'll find Kairith faster if we stick together, and I don't just mean you and me."

Iedreth sobbed a bit under her breath.

"I know, I know…" She said, brushing her hand across her eyes. "I just… I'm so scared Curran, this wasn't at _all_ what I was expecting."

"I'm sure none of us were exactly expecting to be dumped onto the jungle floor." Curran replied dryly. Iedreth laughed, a bit hollowly, and sighed, straightening herself.

"I'm not sure how far we are from the main group anymore." Iedreth said uncertainly. "Can you tell where we are?" Curran scanned the area warily, before shaking his head slowly.

"I am uncertain about the exact location, though I could take some guesses… It might lead us to get lost even further."

"What do you suggest then?"

"I suggest we either wait where we are, or seek a high point and shelter. The latter is certainly a better option, though we could force the main group to diver further if we do." Iedreth thought for a moment, her posture tense with anxiety. She paced the earth beneath her, and Curran watched silently as she did so.

"I'm not sure it would be safe of us to wait here." She finally said after a few moments, looking around the jungle and shivering. "I think keeping on the move is our best bet, getting to higher ground, like you said." Curran nodded, the pale leaves that imitated hair shimmering oddly in the splayed light through the canopy above.

"If my memory serves me right, our best bet would be East. I could use my senses to guide us through, but the path through the mists was… not quite the same. There could be major differences in not just the landscape, but the territory itself. Not to mention the creatures, such as the Mordrem, that lurk in the shadows." Iedreth nodded, but made no hesitance in the gesture. Curran for his part tore a piece of cloth from his armor and secured it over his eyes.

"I'll need you to ensure I don't take any strange paths. My senses are stronger this way, but if I'm heading off a cliff…"

"I won't let you go over." Iedreth assured him, taking a deep breath. "We should move while we still have light."

Walking through the damp and humid jungle was grating enough, but the added odd sounds, strange lights and even stranger flashes of color set Iedreth on edge. Curran, to his credit, seemed unfazed by the surroundings, merely navigating as she would have expected a skilled explorer to do. She frowned, placing a hand on her cheek.

"Curran?" She asked quietly after almost an hour of walking in silence. "How did you… come across the Mists and Maguuma?" Curran's posture changed almost immediately, becoming rigid before relaxing back into indifference. When his voice spoke, there was little to no inflection.

"I was very close to death, once." He said slowly, moving as quickly as before. Iedreth flitted to his side, her eyes drawn to his face. "It was like a shimmer. A portal, I can't really describe it's presence but it was there. A ripple for a dimension that shouldn't have existed. I was a Warden back then. Young still. Impressionable. Thought I could take on many more people than I was actually able." He frowned, as if recalling an unpleasant memory.

"I took advantage of the split second I had to survive and ran towards the portal, praying to the Pale Tree that whatever was on the other side was better than what I faced at that moment. When I opened my eyes on the other side, there was… It was like looking in a mirror that had been fractured, but… dimensional. It felt real. It _was_ real. And it was shrouded in mist. Dark and brooding atmosphere, really." He paused, taking a moment to settle himself. "When I turned around, wondering if I should have just risked my chances against the mob I fought, the portal was no more, and I was alone."

Iedreth stared at him in awe, eyes wide. As she pondered whether or not she would have made the same decision in the face of danger like that, Curran took a deep breath and continued.

"At first I ran. The eyes are near useless in the Mists, as it's really an astral plain for Tyria; Nothing is quite there or not there, and I didn't know then what I know now. That the sense of sight you rely so heavily on can be deceiving. After exhausting myself beyond measure I realized I needed to figure out firstly where I was, and secondly how to extricate myself from there. So I spent what felt like years meditating. Feeling out the areas around me. And as my eyes dulled and my other senses renewed, I discovered that the surroundings were still familiar, just skewed slightly. So I navigated as much as I could by memory, but it was foggy, almost faded like time had eroded away the edges and the colors. And when I finally got to a place I thought was home… I found Maguuma."

"Could you hear it… then?" She asked, her voice quiet. Curran shook his head, brow furrowed.

"It wasn't his voice but… Almost like a heart beat. An existance, an aura. All of those things or more. But he was dormant. Asleep. I nearly lost myself in Maguuma's beauty before the shimmering happened again and I was able to step free of the Mists and enter our land again. I didn't speak of my experience to anyone, and as it seemed, I'd only been missing a few months, rather than the years it felt. The experience aged me in some ways, and allowed me to grow in others." He sighed, shaking his head.

"This is an entirely different experience with Mordremoth being awakened." Curran stated stiffly. "His very energy is thrumming through my veins and it's making my senses overload. It's difficult to tell where we are or how we're going to Navigate without the slightest idea of bearings or a map." He frowned. "Not to mention the whispers are more of a roar now. We're in unfamiliar territory, alone, with no promise of assistance of any kind, in enemy territory. We have to be cautious, and-" He stopped midsentence, his entire body tensing. Before Iedreth could even open her mouth to ask what was wrong, he tackled her into the brush, clamping a hand hard over her mouth and pinning down her body with his weight. Iedreth's eyes flew open wide and a scream died in her throat. She searched Curran's face for signs of Mordremoth's control but his eyes remained green and his face was merely tense, not conflicted. Then, she heard the sounds of rustling leaves, feet, and the grinding of something across the jungle floor.

Curran slowly lifted off of her, sending an apologetic glance her way, and she followed his lead, slowly rising to a sit to observe the noise he'd heard before she had. It was a caravan of sorts, made of mordrem that were… more humanesque in figure, less like the husks they'd fought before. Like twisted, demented Sylvari, with no eyes or gentle skin, they were all bark and bite, walking through the forest like a hive, in unison and in silence, other than the prodding of the giant cages they towed behind them, attached to Mordrem raptors. Iedreth peered closer and had to hold in a gasp at what she saw. Two Norn, looking badly wounded, cut up, and unconscious, and one Sylvari, whom she did not recognize. Curran's lips were set in a hard line though, as he stared at the pale grey Sylvari, who looked as if she'd rather be anywhere else than in the cage she was confined in.

"Curran." Iedreth whispered as softly as she could, her lips hardly moving. "Who is that?"

"That, Iedreth," Curran stated lowly, his voice harsh despite its hushed tones, "Is the Grand Duchess Faolain, of the Nightmare Court."

...

And that's finally it for this chapter! I'm so sorry it has taken me so long to finally post this chapter, I was having a bit of writer's block and then I got back into playing/drawing world of warcraft stuff and well… I fell off the wagon a bit. But I'm back, and hopefully I can get back into the swing of things again soon! Some things to note!

The description of the mists is probably very incorrect, so please bear with me. I didn't have access to anything that might give me any ideas for how to describe it, so you'll have to kind of just bear with that until I find an accurate description or am able to confirm it anywhere. In the meantime, I hope you are all happy with this chapter, I know there wasn't a lot of action in it, but the next chapter will be chock full of all sorts of goodness! So stay tuned, and thank you all so much for sticking with it!


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